UPDATE 1-Sportech sees 2008 pretax profit below market view

* Sees 2008 adjusted pretax profit below market view

* Challenging initiatives completed, confident of future

* Acquires 4thegame.com for 600,000 pounds. (Adds details)

Nov 6 (Reuters) - British football pools operator Sportech Plc (ROD.L) said on Thursday it expects its adjusted pretax profit for the full year ending Dec. 31 to be marginally below the market consensus due to the costs incurred to improve its business.

The company said the costs arose from the removal of all "non-football" content from its footballpools.com website, migration of its casino and poker business to its partners at 888 Holdings Plc (888.L) and movement of instant win games to its 888 common platform for launch in January 2009.

With many of the challenging operational and financial initiatives now completed, the company remains confident of its future prospects, it said.

Separately, the Liverpool-based firm said it has acquired the football community website 4thegame.com for 600,000 pounds ($950,000).

The acquisition will strengthen the online presence of its core football pools business and provide cost-efficient football content to the recently relaunched Sportech website footballpools.com, the company said.

Fast Web Media, the website's previous owner, will continue to provide operational and creative expertise to 4thegame.com, the company said. (Reporting by Ramkumar in Bangalore; Editing by Mike Miller)