By Matt Hardy
The iconic Ascot Racecourse has signed a new five-year agreement with UK Tote, building on an existing four-year partnership.
The agreement kicked in on 1 January this year and will see all Tote bets placed on racing from Ascot support liquidity in the UK pool.
Tote betting is when you bet on a horse and you share the pool with others who backed the horse. The more people who back the horse, the lower the winning pay out.
Pool betting is growing year-on-year at Ascot Racecourse, the Tote said.
Ascot ‘delighted’
Alastair Warwick, Chief Executive of Ascot Racecourse, said: “We are delighted have a new agreement in place with the Tote which will allow us to build on what has been achieved domestically and internationally over the last four years.
“As one of the original architects of World Pool, alongside the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Tote, we are excited to support the further development of World Pool to ensure both racing fans and the sport benefit from it.
“We were thrilled to see that Royal Ascot produced five of the top six World Pool days by total turnover in 2023 and also that QIPCO King George Day performed so well after some targeted race planning changes.
“We will ensure that Ascot’s top-class racing continues to be at the forefront of British racing’s efforts to see that the sport is watched and bet on by a growing domestic and global audience.”
Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group, said: “The Tote is immensely proud to be a partner of Ascot Racecourse which hosts some of the most prestigious racedays in the sporting calendar.
“This new agreement ensures Ascot Racecourse and the Tote are perfectly positioned to work together to achieve a strong UK Pool, alongside the continued development of World Pool, which are crucial elements to the future financial sustainability of the sport.”
