Tote Superpools

The Tote is teaming up with betting jurisdictions from around the world to introduce Tote Superpools at Royal Ascot for the second time, with bettors from a number of countries spread over the globe set to shape the markets for each of the 36 races scheduled.

Tote Superpools are a new concept from the Tote to reflect the super-sized pools that can be generated when international pool betting operators work together for major race meetings.

Following the successful launch of World Pool last year, the Tote will once again be offering pools which are combined with those from Hong Kong, Australia, France, the USA and other leading racing nations. This will ensure there is far greater liquidity as racing fans from around the world bet into a single superpool on British racing’s most prestigious race meeting.

The Tote plans to expand Tote Superpools to other leading British race meetings in the future.

Big Pools

Last year’s World Pool saw pools exploded from £18 million in 2018 to over £92 million, with the Diamond Jubilee producing the first Win pool in excess of a million pounds on the final day of the Royal meeting. In addition, racing fans betting into the Tote’s pools received bigger winning odds in 16 races, with Tote returns betting SP by 32% over the course of the week!

As well as the straight Win and Place markets, Superpools will be in operation for a number of Exotic bets such as the Tote Swinger and Quinella, which were involved last year, plus new additions the Exacta and Trifecta.

What does that mean for bettors?

By having a number of different countries betting into the same overall pool means racing fans can pit their wits against bettors from all around the globe. More importantly though, it means that there will be more liquidity in the markets, with better value as a consequence.

With more individuals betting into the pool it means that big stakes bettors will have less of an impact on the dividend for those smaller stakes customers, providing a more robust market.

Take 2019’s Royal Ascot meeting for example, a £1 win stake on every winner across the meeting would have returned £102.53 more than SP when betting with the Tote.

Even though the Tote Trifecta and Exacta pools weren’t commingled in 2019, they managed to beat their Tricast and Straight Forecast equivalent in 29 and 27 of the Ascot races respectively.

Royal Ascot is an international event, with a number of overseas raiders set to take their chance in Berkshire. What is possible is that the opinions from bettors in the UK will vary to those from France or America, where the likeliest overseas runners will come from.

UK runners could be underestimated by the international pools, or the raiders could be looked over by the UK Tote customers. This difference of opinion could ensure a bigger price that one might be expecting about certain horses on the rday.