William Hill has reported a strong first quarter performance, with an increase of 33 per cent in its online net revenue.

Group net revenue grew by 12 per cent and group operating profit was 19 per cent higher for the 13 weeks ended March 27, compared with Q1 2011.

Sportsbook wagering grew by 31 per cent and there were around 190,000 sportsbook mobile app downloads from launch in the Apple App Store, 30 per cent of customers being brand new to William Hill. "Our investments in marketing and innovations continue to deliver benefits, with our sportsbook exceeding £50m in turnover in a single week for the first time during the quarter and mobile turnover reaching almost £11m in a single week," said chief executive Ralph Topping.

"Our mobile performance is now benefiting from our sportsbook app being available in the Apple App Store, giving us access to thousands of new customers who have never bet with William Hill before, highlighting the growth potential of these new channels and their importance to our multi-channel offering. With positive underlying trends at this relatively early stage in the year, the board remains confident in its expectations for the full year."