Potters Holidays, in an agreement with the World Bowls Tour, have extended their sponsorship of the World Indoor Bowls Championships.The new two-year deal, with an option for a further three years, not only offers a record winner's prize but also a potential commitment of more than �1 million over the next five years.

Potters Holidays, in an agreement with the World Bowls Tour, have extended their sponsorship of the World Indoor Bowls Championships.

The new two-year deal, with an option for a further three years, not only offers a record winner's prize but also a potential commitment of more than �1 million over the next five years.

The new deal continues the association between the two parties which was originally made 12 years ago, in 1998.

The 2011 Potters Holidays World Indoor Championships will take place for the 13th successive year at Potters Leisure Resort in Hopton from January 7-23.

The internationally-renowned festival of world-class bowls will again feature four events - the World Indoor Pairs Championship, the Ladies' World Matchplay Championship, the Mixed Pairs World Matchplay Championship and the flagship World Indoor Singles Championship.

The 2011 World Indoor Singles champion will win a record prize of �40,000 - the highest ever individual prize in world bowls.

There will be BBC TV coverage for seven days - and for the first time this will feature all four event finals.

The singles championship will feature a

32-player draw - featuring the top 16 bowlers in the WBT world rankings, plus 16 qualifiers from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel and New Zealand.

“The association between the Potter family and the sport of bowls stretches back many years and we are therefore very proud to confirm our further �1m-plus sponsorship commitment over the next five years to support this, the premier world event in bowls,” explained Potters Holidays managing director John Potter.

“By this autumn, we will also have invested further in our bowls facilities at Potters with new and unique state-of-the-art electronic scoring systems and a complete re-modelling of the indoor rinks to match the colour of the famous electric blue carpet televised during the World Bowls.

“Our ongoing investment in sponsorship and facilities is rewarded with the support we get back from grass-roots bowlers whose custom makes us the most popular provider of indoor bowls holidays in the world, and this in turn ensures that the friendly community of bowls will always have a home here at Potters Leisure Resort.”

WBT director Richard Maddieson responded: “The World Bowls Tour is delighted that Potters Leisure Resort has committed itself yet again to keeping bowls on television with this record agreement for the prestigious World Championships for the next five years.

“Together with the further news of the re-modelling of their indoor rinks and future investment in facilities for all bowlers at Potters Leisure, this shows the dedication that the Potter family and Potters Leisure Resort has given to bowls over the years.

“This truly makes Potters Leisure Resort the 'Home of Bowls' from the grass roots through to the professional game.”