SNOOKER fans who fancy having a flutter on their heroes during next month's UK Championships in York will have the chance, after plans were revealed to have betting stands at the Barbican Centre.

The leisure centre has put in an application to City of York Council for a "track betting licence" - allowing it to pitch betting stands allowing punters to put some cash on the action on the green baize.

The application comes after World Snooker, the organisation which brings the championships to York, signed up Totesport to become its official betting partner.

The UK Championships will be held at the Barbican Centre next month between November 15 and 28, with events being televised from November 20.

Under the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act, anyone who carries out bookmaking at a site where sports events take place is required to have a track betting licence.

A Barbican Centre spokesman said: "This application will allow us to house a temporary betting stand at the Barbican during the UK Snooker Championships.

"It is World Snooker that puts on the championships and, following their deal with a bookmaker, they have asked us to apply for the licence."

The UK Snooker Championships are one of the sport's premier competitions, eclipsed only by the World Championships, held at the Crucible in Sheffield.

This will be the fourth year that York, a city popular with the players, has held the event and Barbican chiefs are hoping the competition will return during the centre's redevelopment next year.

Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of World Snooker, said: "I would like to welcome totesport into snooker. Both parties are very pleased with the deal and this is a major step forward for the sport."

Joe Scanlon, managing director of totesport, said: "We are delighted to have teamed up with World Snooker to become the official betting partner for the whole season.

"It also means that for the duration of the UK Championships two-week event we will be offering on-site betting facilities at the Barbican Centre. That means any of our local customers who attend the event will still be able to bet with totesport."

Updated: 09:43 Wednesday, October 06, 2004