Ascot Racecourse

Operational Excellence Bet With Ascot – World Pool, Royal Ascot 2019

Proudly partnered by Objectives

• Launch World Pool for Royal Ascot 2019 – the world’s first global pool

betting operation, as part of Ascot’s International Circular Strategy (see Promotion to diagram opposite) International • Work with Hong Kong Jockey Club and Totepool to commingle betting Horsemen pools at Royal Ascot and increase UK liquidity.

• Make pool betting more attractive through the size of the pool and Enhances Delivers attract more bets as a result. Reputation Publicity • Improve value for customers with improved pay outs and aim to better the odds of SP. ASCOT’S • Expand Royal Ascot coverage in Hong Kong to all five days. INTERNATIONAL • A co-ordinated communications approach between the Hong Kong CIRCULAR STRATEGY Jockey Club, Ascot Racecourse and Totepool. • To put Bet With Ascot front of mind for customers on site through Creates Enables Opportunities Broadcast excellent service and marketing. for Sponsorship Coverage & • To drive increased spend per head in Fine Dining and increase volume & Licensing Media Rights

of bets in the Queen Anne. Opens up • Attract runners from around the world to boost engagement with the International Betting meeting on an international level. Opportunities • Develop a long-term plan for World Pool and ensure it continues to (ie. World Pool) deliver value and benefits to customers. • Create more value on course and deliver off-course value to the

participating countries. 2 Delivery

• Live testing was conducted on World Pool connectivity during the May Racing Weekend with Hong Kong Jockey Club personnel on site. • For the first time at Royal Ascot, pools on 24 of the 30 races were commingled with the Hong Kong World Pool. World Pool bets covered Win, Place and Quinella. The World Pool markets were clearly shown on course using a colour code. • The takeout rate was reduced to 17.5% for win and place bets to match the Hong Kong World Pool. • 13 countries bet into the World Pool. • Five days of Royal Ascot were broadcast live in Hong Kong, for the first time, and in all the countries betting into World Pool, increasing awareness and reach. • An average field size of 16.3 runners and no race having less than eight runners ensured competitive racing and attractive betting heats. • Runners from America, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Czech Republic and France ensured a truly international racing line up. • Swapping the Jersey Stakes and the Windsor Castle Stakes boosted the Saturday card which was broadcast live on the NBC main channel. • ‘Today at Royal Ascot’ emails sent in the morning to all ticket bookers outlining the benefits of World Pool and Bet With Ascot. • Worked with media partners to produce country specific form guides e.g. At The Races American guide and HKJC form guides.

3 Results

• Money invested into the combined pools available to UK punters increased from £XXX in 2018 to £XXX – an increase of 415%.

• On course Bet With Ascot turnover during Royal Ascot 2019 increased by 3.9% on 2018 - £XXX to £XXX. This was against attendance numbers reduced by 3%.

• All five days of Royal Ascot saw increased turnover on 2018 Tote numbers with race by race numbers especially strong.

• Every day of Royal Ascot 2019 resulted in increased pool sizes against 2018.

• On the opening day the St James’s Palace Stakes saw a year-on-year increase of 37% - to £XXX.

• Bet With Ascot beat UK Starting Price on win bets in 17 of the 30 races and by 32% overall to level stake.

• Total number of bets placed on site was 577,496 with the average bet size increasing by 4.2% from £XXX to £XXX.

• SP v Pool best price ratio far exceeded expectations.

4 Supporting Information

“We are honoured to provide a global Tote offering for one of the world’s leading racing festival brands. We believe this is a new dimension for the future of international wagering.” Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Jockey Club

“Stability will attract a whole range of players – high rollers and syndicates – who will take betting on the Tote seriously for the first time, and that could reap huge rewards for British racing.” Charlie Brooks, Daily Telegraph

“The success of the World Pool at Royal Ascot has given everyone in this part of the world a glimpse of what the financial future of British and Irish racing could look like. Considering it was the first year of the arrangement, it was a hugely-impressive increase that seems sure to be built on in the future. All concerned can be very proud of what they achieved thus far.” Kevin Blake, At The Races and ITV Racing

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