Bookmaker Paddy Power says it has had a strong first-half, helped by favourable sporting results.
In a trading statement, the company said that in particular results had gone its way in the last three weeks, including a record result from the Royal Ascot race meeting.
Paddy Power said the first-half had tended to be stronger for the group, and this would be 'particularly pronounced' in 2007.
It signalled full-year operating profits of €62m, up 36% on 2006, as long as the good run in the first half was not offset by an equally bad run in the second half. This figure is well above what analysts had been expecting.
Paddy Power shares closed down seven cent at €22.78 in Dublin, having initially jumped by 35 cent.
