Terry Lillis: Bookmaker and racing legend dead at 78

Tributes continue to flow for late Alice Springs racing royalty and Australia’s first corporate bookmaker Terry Lillis.

UPDATE: TRIBUTES have flown from across the racing industry in honour of bookmaking pioneer Terry Lillis who died on Monday, aged 78.

Mr Lillis is best known as being the first corporate bookmaker in the country founding Australia’s first betting firm in Centrebet which went global after gaining a licence in 1993.

He has been in the industry for over 50 years first taking odds in Alice Springs in 1969 and being an almost ever-present at the Darwin Cup Carnival.

Throughbred Racing chief executive Andrew O’Toole called Mr Lillis a popular character around the Territory racing scene that would be deeply missed.

“He will be deeply missed, he did a great deal for Territory racing and was a very popular character around the place,” O’Toole said.

“He was a real pioneer of racing in the NT a pioneer in the field of corporate bookmaking with his own bookmaker Centre which is why he was affectionately known as ‘The Godfather’.

“Terry attended close on 50 Darwin Cups and we so glad to have had him and see him here for the Carnival this year.

“Just a great bloke. He was very successful, an ideas man and was a huge figure in Territory racing.”

Bookmaker Terry Lillis with his betting board and bookies bag at Fannie Bay Racecourse, Saturday, July 6, 2019. Picture: Keri Megelus

Mr Lillis’ presence in the industry extended beyond bookmaking owning his own horses and found no shortage of success in Territory racing.

Among those successes were Billet Doux who won the NT Derby while Squire Gray, Royal Sydney and Ima Realist all won the Palmerston Sprint.

In the last decade The Ruffian triumphed in the Alice Springs Cup, Buntine Handicap, Darwin Guineas and The Derby.

The Alice Springs Turf Club posted a tribute on their Facebook page looking back on his history with the club.

“It is with much sadness that we recognise the passing in South Australia of ASTC Life Member Mr Terry Lillis,” the statement read.

“Terry is a former long term Patron of our Club, massive supporter of Alice racing and long standing bookmaker, who last worked our betting ring during this year’s Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival.

“A titan of the Australian Bookmaking industry whose vision and ability to back himself saw him create a new internet world we now accept as the norm.

“Generous to a fault and a man who loved to share a good time. Our thoughts are with Gemma and Nathan, his grandchildren, Sheryl and the extended Lillis Family.”

Other Australian racing personalities such as Racing.com broadcaster Terry McAuliffe took to Twitter to express their sadness at his passing.

“Sad to hear of the passing of bookmaker Terry Lillis,” Mr McAuliffe said.

Fellow bookmaker Richard Wells said Mr Lillis will be remembered very fondly by the Northern Territory racing industry.

“It’s very sad news — he was a long-time legendary Territorian,” he said.

“He’ll be remembered as a very generous bloke, he gave a lot of his time to racing in Alice Springs and Darwin.”

From breeding and owning horses, to setting up online betting and even having an earthmoving business that made the tracks at the club, there wasn’t many aspects of racing he wasn’t involved in.

“Alice Springs Turf Club wouldn’t be the Alice Springs Turf Club if it wasn’t for Terry,” Mr Wells said.

“He was very large in whatever he did.”

Mr Wells said there were no details yet on where the funeral would be held but he suspected either Adelaide or Alice Springs, where is former wife and son were buried.

SA racing outfit Clarken Racing also paid their respects on Twitter this afternoon, saying:

“A loyal supporter of the stable, Terry was an innovator and popular racing man who made a success out of the sport he loved over many years. He will be missed by all and our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends and peers for their loss.”

“Terry’s memory will live on through an as yet unraced 3-year-old who is sired by the stallion he bred Written Tycoon … and bears his namesake- Lillis,” they wrote.