UK Tote and Ascot agree new five-year pool betting deal

The UK Tote Group has entered into a new agreement with Ascot Racecourse to grow pool betting in the United Kingdom.

The five-year deal ensures all pools bets placed on racing from Ascot Racecourse continue to support liquidity in the UK pool, which has been operated by the UK Tote since October 2019.

This includes bets placed via AscotBet’s on-course Bet with Ascot brand, and bets placed remotely through Tote.co.uk, as well as through bookmakers and third-party partners.

“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,” said Ascot Racecourse chief executive Alastair Warwick. “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.”

UK Tote Group CEO Alex Frost commented: “The Tote is immensely proud to be a partner of Ascot Racecourse which hosts some of the most prestigious race days 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.

“I would personally like to thank Alastair and his excellent team at Ascot Racecourse for their ongoing support, and everyone at the Tote looks forward to continuing our partnership with Ascot over the next five years.”