PUNTERS COUNT THE CHELTENHAM COST AS £60M GOES THE BOOKIES’ WAY
As the dust begins to settle at the end of most dire four days of betting that Cheltenham punters have ever known, bookmakers across the land began counting the cost to the Nation’s punters.
Britian’s biggest bookies William Hill estimate that an unprecedented £60MILLION could be reaped in betting profits across the industry – after just four winning favourites from 26 races obliged for backers over the four miserable days.
A staggering £150 million a day was wagered industry-wide, on each of the four days of the festival, with another £1million per race staked on-course in cash – leading to a £600million turnover on the four day Festival.
That figure equates to around £24 million per race, for the 26 races, with betting reaching a £40million fever pitch on this year’s final-day feature race – The Gold Cup.
David Hood, spokesman for William Hill, said: ‘’This will go down in history as the worst set of results that Cheltenham punters have experienced. Time-after-time long-priced winners sailed back to the winner’s enclosure celebrated by just a handful of punters who had backed them. We’ve bloodied the punters’ noses – and the healing process could take some time.’’
In what can only be described as the most dire four days of betting that Cheltenham punters have ever known, the win of Imperial Commander was another nail in the coffin.
Previously billed as the ‘War of the Worlds’ by bookies, the titanic clash between Kauto Star and Denman became a damp squib in the Cotswold drizzle as the locally trained Imperial Commander at 7/1 upset the odds, but provided the locals with a lot to cheer about.
Punters across the land wagered a record £40million on the clash today, David Hood, spokesman for William Hill, said: ‘’Bookies couldn’t make it up this week, they have enjoyed some stellar results (only three winning favourites up to the Gold Cup), and it will take punters until the World Cup to get over the shocks this week.”
The Gold Cup wasn’t a complete ‘skinner’ for bookies, as both the winner and the third Mon Mome were exceptionally well backed each-way horses. “Mon Mome was the surprise gamble from 150-1 into 50-1, but I have no doubt that many remembered his Grand National win and kept the faith again. That said, he has saved Hills £550,000!“
A punter with a series of 10p accumulators confidently predicted that Imperial Commander and Denman would be placed winning £450,000, but Mon Mome’s last gasp effort to snatch third from Carruthers saved William Hill from that becoming a £1million pound win.
Gold Cup 2011: 4-1 Imperial Commander, Kauto Star, 8-1 Denman, Weapon’s Amnesty, 12-1 Big Buck’s, 16-1 Diamond Harry, Long Run, Punchestowns, Somersby, 20-1 bar (EWW 1/4 1,2,3)
