BT launches Sportal

BT Group PLC
22 November 2002



                                                               November 22, 2002

               BT OPENWORLD ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF SPORTAL ONDEMAND

                    The UK's First Broadband Sports Network

BT Openworld today announces that it has joined forces with ukbetting plc (AIM:
UKB), Sportev Ltd and InTheBox Media to launch the UK's first broadband sports
network. The new digital network, called Sportal OnDemand, will be available to
broadband users on any ISP* via BT Openworld's new internet sports site Sportal
(www.sportal.com) which also launches today. The Sportal brand name has been
licensed from ukbetting plc by BT Openworld as part of a long term licensing
agreement. Sportal OnDemand runs on Sportev OS, Sportev's proprietary operating
system for broadband channels.

Sportal OnDemand provides the passionate sports fan with a one-stop solution for
video sports coverage. The service will enable broadband subscribers in the UK
to watch a wide range of video-on-demand sports programming including as-live
action, highlights, previews, interviews, archive and magazine programming.
Covering major sports events worldwide, Sportal OnDemand will also feature
content available nowhere else in the UK including the hugely popular Italian
Serie A football.

Sportal OnDemand's initial video-on-demand programming runs across six channels.
"This Week in Sport" features the latest sports highlights and features; "Stars
& Stripes" focuses on US sports; "Football Plus" hosts UK, Italian, Brazilian
and Argentine football and "Fight Club" boasts extensive coverage of UK boxing,
as well as classic bouts from the past such as those of Ali and Tyson. "Back in
The Day" features additional sports classics as well as made-for-broadband
programming like Sportal's exclusive "History of the Ashes" and "Greatest
Sporting Moments" series. "Sports Extra" will contain off-the-wall items such as
bloopers, obscure profiles and world's sexiest sportspeople.



Sports fans can take advantage of a special 10 day free trial of the service.
The basic cost of subscription to the Sportal OnDemand service is £4.99 per
month giving the user full access to the entire service. There are also
pay-per-view options enabling the user to access the service for 24 hours for
£1.99. Additional one-off premium pay-per-view events will also be available,
with prices varying according to the sports event. The first premium
pay-per-view event will be full coverage of the Milan football derby from the
San Siro on November 24, 2002, screened shortly after the final whistle. Access
to the narrowband Sportal.com web site will remain free to all users (including
broadband users).

Broadband programming and technology is being provided by Sportev, the UK's
leading provider of broadband sports solutions, and InTheBoxMedia, a JV-partner
of The Television Corporation Plc. Both Sportev and InTheBoxMedia have extensive
experience in broadband programming. Sportev has exclusive contracts to produce
broadband channels for England Rugby, the Extreme Sports Channel, Wisden Online
and Frank Warren's Sports Network. Key associate ukbetting plc will continue to
provide sports content to BT Openworld, in addition to extensive audio content
and a fixed odds betting service.

John Raczka, BT Openworld senior vice-president content, said:- "Sportal
OnDemand is targeted at three types of sports fan, namely the busy executive who
does not have time to watch live coverage of all their favorite sporting events,
the expat who has no other access to home sports and local teams, and the
betting enthusiast who wants to make more educated bets with the help of our
archive content. All three audiences will find significant added value from
Sportal OnDemand, which in many sports categories will offer content available
nowhere else in the UK."

David Annat, content director of ukbetting plc, added:- "We are delighted to be
part of BT Openworld's plans for the UK's first broadband sports channel. This
deal marks a significant step forward in ukbetting's strategy of forging key
partnerships in order to generate subscription revenue from our core sports
content business, in addition to promoting our betting brands."

Will Muirhead, chief executive of Sportev, said:- "Sportev is delighted that BT
Openworld has selected Sportev OS as the platform for Sportal OnDemand, their
new broadband sports network. Sportev OS is our market leading operating system
required for the operation of broadband channels and is currently being used by
leading sports rights holders worldwide. We are obviously thrilled that BT
Openworld has become the first broadband network to license our software."

                                   ***Ends***

For further information on BT Openworld

Tony Henderson, head of media relations, BT Openworld

Tel [phone]

Email [e-mail]

For ukbetting plc

Please contact Edward Bridges / Sarah Basden / Juliet Clarke

Financial Dynamics Tel [phone]

Notes for Editors

*Any ISP with the exception of AOL

About BT Openworld

BT Openworld, BT's mass market internet division, is one of the UK's leading
internet service providers. It delivers broadband and narrowband services to
more than 1.7 million business and consumer customers in the UK through
www.btopenworld.com.

The company offers a wide range of internet access packages and payment options.
Broadband packages include: BT Openworld Home 500 Plug & Go and Business 500
Plug & Go - self-install broadband products. Other products cover a choice of
download speeds, from up to 500kbps, to up to 2Mbps, single or multi-user
set-ups for PC or Mac, and static or dynamic IP addresses. BT Openworld also
provides broadband over satellite for business users.

Narrowband products include: BT Openworld Anytime, BT Openworld Surftime, BT
Openworld Connect Anytime - designed specifically for business customers, and
Pay-as-you-go services. BT Openworld also provides additional value-added
services to business users, such as Wireless LAN, Teleworker and Web Design
solutions. BT Openworld is developing a range of applications and services
available to its own customers and those of other ISPs.

This year BT Openworld has launched five sites aimed at computer gamers, music
fans, classical music lovers, sports and betting enthusiasts and keen
travellers: www.gamesdomain.co.uk, www.dotmusic.com, www.btopenworld.com/
classical, www.btopenworld.com/sport and www.btopenworld.com/travelclub. These
provide a mix of free and subscription based services.

Alison Ritchie is the chief executive officer of BT Openworld.

About ukbetting plc

Ukbetting plc (AIM: UKB.L) is the UK's leading digital wagering operator.
Listing on the Alternative Investment Market in August 2001, ukbetting has since
pursued an active acquisitive strategy and now owns and operates four sports
content sites (sportinglife.com, sportal.com, bettingzone.co.uk and
TEAMtalk.com) and two wagering sites (ukbetting.com and totalbet.com). Through
these sites it is possible to find in-depth information, and place fixed-odds
bets, on a variety of sports including horse racing, football, cricket, rugby,
tennis, and many more. At the last financial results in September 2002, betting
customers stood at approximately 100,000 and the combined unique users for the
sports content sites number 3.9 million per month.

About Sportev

Formed in 1999, Sportev is now the leading broadband sports solution provider in
the UK. Sportev have developed three divisions, Sportev Operating System
(Sportev OS), Sportev Rights Division (Sportev DivR) and Sportev Production
Division (Sportev DivP).

Sportev OS is a proprietary software platform required for the operation of
broadband sports channels. Sportev OS is a client/server based software product
that provides clients with a turnkey solution that meets all broadband channel
requirements, including features to control Digital Rights Management, (DRM),
Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Micro-Pay-Per-View (mPPV) and Video
Content Management & Storage (VCMS).

Sportev DivR acquires, licenses and advises sports rights holders on the
definition and commercial exploitation of broadband broadcast and sponsorship
assets.

Sportev DivP provides rights holders and broadband networks with production
facilities enabling, feed capture, real-time encoding and editing of footage
from any sports event, worldwide.

Sportev currently provides England Rugby, the South African Rugby Football
Union, The Extreme Sports Channel, Media Partners, Frank Warren's Sports
Network, Wisden online and many others with broadband sports solutions.



About The Television Corporation Plc

The Television Corporation plc is the UK's leading independent supplier of
programmes to broadcasters worldwide. The Group combines two of Britain's
largest production companies, Mentorn and Sunset+Vine, with Visions, one of the
world's premier outside broadcast operations, specialist sports producer VTV and
respected post-production house Molinare. The Television Corporation's sports
production and distribution includes Channel 4 Cricket, Sport on Five, live
football for Five, the Emirates Series and Gillette World Sport (now airing in
200 countries worldwide).



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange         AANRUWRAUAA