SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The World Pool remains confident in its increasing popularity among racegoers and horse racing bettors after recording a turnover of £521m throughout the 2022 season.
As revealed in the Racing Post, the international group reported a 44% growth across the UK and Ireland’s 17 World Pool race days, an increase of £363m on the previous year.
The Final Racecard was the British Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday 15 October, which alone recorded a gain of 43% in turnover from £19.5m to £27.9m.
Previous major flat meetings at the two-day Epsom fixture and three-day Glorious Goodwood recorded a turnover of £59.5m and £97m respectively.
UK Tote Group Chief Executive, Alex Frost, said: “The implicit ambition of World Pool is to ensure an additive and more sustainable funding mechanism for horse racing, with wagering customers enjoying an improved value proposition.
“I would also like to offer my appreciation and thanks to the connections of horses who have won and competed in World Pool races this year, given the support of owners, trainers and jockeys is an essential part of World Pool’s growth in 2023 and beyond.”
https://twitter.com/RacingPost/status/1581683889625448452
A partnership project between the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), the UK Tote Group and Ascot Racecourse, the World Pool covers a total of 20 countries, with funds directed into racing.
The publication of the figures in the Racing Post follows the revelation that the HKJC – which focuses on providing a pool betting product – experienced record turnover earlier this year.
A report in July outlined that the group’s turnover for the 2021/22 season increased by 3% year-on-year to HK$140bn, with local race turnover standing at HK$129.9bn.
Commenting on the World Pool turnover, Michael Fitzsimons, HKJC Executive Director of Wagering Products, stated: “We are delighted to see British and Irish World Pool days grow so strongly this year with the sporting action proving increasingly popular with racing fans, who appreciate seeing the best horses and jockeys competing at a wide variety of fantastic racecourses.”
