Ladbrokes Claimed ₤ 102m Furlough Despite Online Boost Ladbrokes claimed ₤ 102m furlough despite online boost 7 January 2022 ByBen King Business press reporter, BBC News Bookmaker Ladbrokes declared ₤ 102m from the furlough plan, despite fast growth in online betting offseting all losses from the closure of shops. Accounts published on Thursday show that Ladbrokes claimed ₤ 57.5 m in 2020, and the BBC understands it declared a more ₤ 44m this year. Since the pandemic started parent business Entain has actually increased profits, driven by strong online growth. Entain said the cash safeguarded 14,000 jobs, and is "under review." The most significant claimers from the furlough scheme were primarily those for whom Covid lockdowns suggested steep falls in income - airline companies, bar companies, leisure groups, stores, dining establishments and catering services. One company stands out in the list - Ladbrokes, the UK's biggest operator of wagering stores, with 2,845 premises branded Ladbrokes or Coral. For though it had to close them for big parts of 2020 and 2021, it had a lifeline - online. Its moms and dad company, FTSE 100-listed video gaming giant Entain, has a huge online betting service, and clients who couldn't bet in shops during the dark days of lockdown gathered to sites and apps instead. Last April's Grand National climaxed for the most significant online sports betting occasion in the UK. This suggested that in spite of lockdowns, Entain's 2020 incomes were unchanged from the year before at ₤ 3.6 bn, and it even handled to tape a revenue of ₤ 114m. In the first nine months of 2021 profits grew 8%. Entain is likewise well positioned to gain from the explosive growth of online wagering in the US through its BetMGM joint venture. ₤ 102m furlough claim Despite a strong financial efficiency, Ladbrokes made a big furlough claim.