BoyleSports, the country's largest independent bookmaker, has bought four recently-closed Hacketts outlets.

The betting shops, placed in the control of High Court-appointed liquidators Ken Tyrell and Declan McDonald of PwC in June, will now be rebranded as BoyleSports outlets.

The shops in Cashel, Tipperary; Callen in Kilkenny; Mounmellick, Laois; and Rathkeale in Limerick will all be opened immediately.

Following the news Hacketts had gone into liquidation, BoyleSports indicated that it was "always" interested in buying Irish betting shops.

While 18 Hacketts outlets had closed, it was unlikely all 18 would be purchased by BoyleSports due to location overlap with their own shops.

The new deal means BoyleSports now run 212 outlets in Ireland.

The four outlets will be included in the company's €4m renovation programme.

Head of Retail at Boylesports Jenna Boyles, Head of Retail at the company, said BoyleSports was "saddened" by the liquidation of Hacketts.

The company was originally founded by Cyril and Monkia Hackett in the Midlands over half a century ago.