Huge French Racing Pools Available Exclusively to Tote Customers

From today, the Tote is the only way British and Irish pool betting customers can access the significant pools offered by the PMU. The Tote is commingling into French pools for all French races, including the Prix De l’Arc De Triomphe on Sunday. Tote customers will be able to bet into over 7,000 pools from 88 French racecourses each year, including 262 pattern contests and leading trotting fixtures via tote.co.uk, tote.ie and iOS and Android Tote Apps. Races will be streamed on the Tote platforms so customers can watch the action live, as well as bet on it.

The PMU typically offers pools of over €750,000 on each race, or nearly €6 million per meeting, with over €15,000,000 bet into pools on the Prix De l’Arc De Triomphe last year. This is an exciting development for racing fans looking for the best value on French racing, with winning customers welcome at the Tote.

Initially, the Tote will be offering a placepot on the weekend’s racing from Longchamp, along with the six most popular single leg pools, with the aim of introducing more bet types in due course:

• • Win – Pick the winner of the race

  • Place – Pick a horse to be placed

  • Exacta – Pick the first two horses in the correct order (available on fields of 4+ runners)

  • Trifecta – Select the winner, the second, and the third horse in the correct order (available on fields of 4+ runners)

  • Quinella – Select the first two finishers in either order (available on fields of 8+ runners)

  • Swinger – Pick two horses to finish first, second or third in any order (available on fields of 8+ runners)

Alex Frost, Chief Executive of the UK Tote Group said: “We are delighted to work with the PMU on this incredibly positive development for UK and Irish racing fans, which will also drive increased revenues for the grassroots of French racing. By commingling our UK pool into the French pool, British and Irish Tote customers can bet into huge pools on the top class racing action from France. With huge liquidity in pools, there is great value available on every race with winning customers welcomed at the Tote. I would like to thank the PMU team for their cooperation and support, and we wish everyone a successful weekend ahead of two fantastic days of racing at Longchamp. I fondly remember Rail Link going off at 24.0 in the PMU pool (vs 8/1 industry SP) for the 2006 Arc, and am delighted Tote customers can finally have the opportunity to take advantage of such opportunities going forward.”

 Emmanuelle Malecaze-Doublet, Chief Executive Officer of PMU commented: “This agreement is a strategic milestone in our long-standing partnership with UK Tote Group. We are very proud of this new step that marks the recognition of our expertise as a global horse racing operator and highlights the excellence of French races. This exciting development will enhance the already highly attractive horse betting offering of the UK Tote.”

About UK TOTE GROUP

The UK Tote Group is the proud owner and steward of the Tote, the UK’s leading pool betting operator. The Tote has been a core part of British horseracing since 1928 when it was established by Parliament under Winston Churchill as Chancellor of the Exchequer, to provide the public with a safe way to bet and vital funding for the sport.

The UK Tote Group is committed to fulfilling the Tote’s founding mission through revitalising the 95-year old British company to ensure it provides better value and an improved experience to customers, as well as increased funding for British horseracing. The UK Tote Group is backed by racehorse owners and breeders from around the world who believe a stronger UK and Irish host pool is an essential component in the successful future of the sport, as is the case in other successful racing jurisdictions.

The Tote is the pool partner to all 85 British and Irish racecourses, and the UK Tote Group is proud to be able to work with them and all of its media rights and bookmaker partners to bring innovations and improvements to all of its customer channels, including those within its digital business, through the Tote website (tote.co.uk/tote.ie) and the Tote App.

The UK Tote Group is a founding member of the World Tote Association and will co-chair the organisation between 2022-24. The UK Tote Group is committed to working with international partners to grow pool betting in a sustainable manner, while showcasing the benefits of the sector to stakeholders, including customers, regulators, national governments, the racing industry and society as a whole.

The Tote employs 200 people who are based in the Tote’s main office in Wigan and its satellite office in London.

For more information please visit www.uktotegroup.com and www.tote.co.uk and follow us @UKToteGroup and @ToteRacing.

About the PMU

Number One operator of “pari-mutuel” horse race betting in Europe and third largest worldwide, PMU’s main activity is to market bets on horse races in a responsible and trusting environment. With 1,100 employees, the company operates in France (via its 13,800 retail outlets, at French racecourses, on the Internet) and internationally with more than 120 partners across 56 countries. Horse race betting represents more than 90% of PMU’s business. Operating since 1930, PMU also diversified into sports betting and poker when the French online gaming market was opened to competition in 2010.

PMU’s result is fully redistributed to the French horse racing associations which organize the races. PMU finances the French horse racing industry, ensuring its sustainability, as well as supporting 60,000 direct and indirect jobs in the horse racing industry.

SOURCE: UK Tote Group.