William Hill has revealed that, during a Cheltenham horseracing week it has dubbed “historically profitable”, the operator anticipates an eight-figure turnover during Gold Cup Friday – the week’s main event.
Indeed, this year’s Festival comes with notable alterations for attendees, including freedom of movement from the bar, a new daily attendance cap and the lowering of Guinness prices to 2022 levels – rejoice!
In the build-up of the Festival, however, operators were watching closely in hope of an emulation of last year’s bookmaker-friendly results. As we approach the Festival Friday finale, William Hill has provided an optimistic update.
More specifically, William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps has underlined that the operator is anticipating recording a Friday turnover upwards of £10m ($13.4m), explaining: “It’s been a Cheltenham Festival to remember for us bookies so far, with Wednesday our best-ever day at the Festival. Now, with the punters keen to get back on terms, we’re braced for Gold Cup Day where the battle will be decided. Friday of Cheltenham is always a huge day, and this year will be no different. We’re expecting turnover to go into eight figures as the Festival reaches its crescendo.
“Harry Redknapp’s horse, The Jukebox Man, winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup would be an extremely popular result on the day, but not for us at William Hill! With all the media and public interest in Harry’s horses, they tend to attract plenty of money and none more so than The Jukebox Man. He’s going to be a key horse for us to get beat on Friday – it’s going to be a cracker.”
This year’s Cheltenham Festival comes at a turbulent time for UK operators. Despite the horseracing sector managing to remain untouched in the Autumn Budget, tax rises on the wider industry loom large – with Entain citing the change as a key driver for the termination of its long-running Coral Cup sponsorship.
Elsewhere this week, the British Horseracing Authority announced that racecourses across the nation would receive new photo-finish technology upgrades.
After four straight years of declining attendance figures, Cheltenham crowds were reportedly up on opening day this year
