SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
With the Cheltenham Festival only a few days away, the UK Tote Group has taken steps to make its offering ‘more competitive than ever’, in the words of CEO Alex Frost.
In the run up to the highly anticipated racing event, the pool betting operator has launched a new video marketing campaign featuring company brand ambassador Danny Mullins.
The National Hunt jockey and nephew of trainer Willie Mullins has given the Tote access to his daily routine in the leadup to the festival, as he bids to win a third Stayers Hurdle next Thursday riding Flooring Porter.
From a product perspective, the Tote has also committed to offering a £1m placepot every day of the Festival, as well as the Tote Guarantee, ensuring its customers get the best odds on each bet.
Frost said: “The Tote will be more competitive than ever throughout the Cheltenham Festival this year, whether you are betting on-course, online or via the Tote app. We are guaranteeing a £1m Placepot every day, where customers can bet small and win big on our marquee bet.
“Customers betting with the Tote online last year were over £250 better off to £1 unit stake across the Win singles, and considerably more when betting on the exotics, thanks to the boosts to winnings offered by Tote Guarantee and Tote+ and these are in operation throughout the Festival as they are every day of the racing calendar.”
The Tote explained that over the past five years, Cheltenham has yielded the highest placepot dividend of all British racecourses, returning an overage of £2,369,99, whilst also delivering some record dividends over the past 10 years, such as 2019’s £91,283.90.
In addition to its guarantee and high-value placements, the Tote has also taken steps to provide its Betting Tournaments during the festival as a form of ‘daily social, competitive betting’.
Similarly, the company’s Fantasy Pools have been added to each day of the festival for the first time, having only been introduced – along with the tournaments – as part to the Tote’s wider offering in 2020.
Speaking to SBC News last year, Jamie Hart, the Tote Group’s B2C and Liquidity Director, highlighted its newly launched fantasy and tournament products as part of a wider strategy to enhance engagement with bettors.
Continuing, Frost added: “We will also be running our Tournaments across the week that customers can get involved with as well as the new Tote Fantasy game every day.
“With racecourses and the whole sport directly benefiting from every bet placed with the Tote, both on-course and online, there is no better place for racing fans to bet and we hope to welcome as many as possible to the Tote this Cheltenham week.”
