Racecourse behemoth Britbet agrees new long-term deal with UK Tote Group until 2030

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Leading racecourse group Britbet has extended its contract with UK Tote Group in a deal that will see the pair collaborate through to 2030. 

Announced on 21 January, the commitment promises to deliver liquidity from most of Britbet’s 55-strong lineup of racecourse partners to pools provided by the UK Tote Group. All Jockey Club racecourses and large independent tracks housed by Britbet are included in this multi-year package. 

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This agreement continues a longstanding collaboration between the pair. Britbet and the UK Tote Group first worked together in 2018, and this latest arrangement shall ensure that both parties operate their continued unified approach towards pool betting for a minimum of 12 successive years. 

Managing director of Britbet, Nigel Roddis, expressed his thoughts on the deal: “We are delighted to receive the continued backing of our racecourse partners and to use that to continue the relationship with the UK Tote Group. The delivery of a daily pool betting service ranges from 500+ staff on each day of the Cheltenham Festival, through to meetings where everyone knows each other on a weekday Winter evening.”

Roddis elaborated on the benefits bettors have received and will continue to earn through the Britbet-Tote partnership: “To be viable it requires a collective approach, sharing resources and spreading costs as widely as possible. Britbet is tangible evidence of the benefits that the customer can receive from racecourses acting together. We look forward to continuing to work with the Tote team to deliver further benefits for racegoers as well as providing the core liquidity to help drive the continued expansion of the pools off course.”

Alex Frost, CEO of UK Tote Group, echoed the words of Roddis: “This is another significant moment in the evolution of the modern Tote as we work with our partners across British racing and around the world to rejuvenate pool betting in the UK and Ireland. 

“We are delighted to have agreed a second long-term partnership with leading British racecourses allowing us to work together to develop the digital and racecourse customer experience to ensure we are offering racing fans a competitive and appealing experience when betting with the Tote.”

Britbet has accrued £40m in returns from the Tote over the last half-decade, as well as investment exceeding the £100m mark. Keenly aware of these impressive figures, Frost continued to discuss major positives for customers as a result of the extension: 

“In addition, this new partnership provides the stable platform British racing needs to work with international pool betting partners, including the Hong Kong Jockey Club and members of the World Tote Association. This will allow the sport to benefit from the further evolution of World Pool and further opportunities to grow pool betting on British racing which is a key revenue driver in the years ahead.”

The revamped agreement is set to go live in November 2025. One key player remains absent from this upcoming pact, as negotiations with Arena Racing Company — another body composed of UK racecourses — continue to evolve.