Every sports fan will know the heartbreak of missing out on huge sporting events whilst they’re at work. Whether it be the World Cup, Ashes or Cheltenham Festival, we’ve all been tempted to take ‘tactical’ breaks from our work to watch the all important action unfold in front of our very own eyes.
In a recent Betfair survey in partnership with YouGovSport, 57% of sports fans who have skived off work to watch a sporting event have done so in the last 12 months. Five percent of those fans admitted that in the previous year they’ve skived off work for more than five days, while 38% of those surveyed claimed they’ve not skipped a day to watch sport in the past year, or at least they won’t admit to doing so on the record!
With it being a huge week of racing at Cheltenham from Tuesday right through until the end of play on Friday, those skivers may be drafting up their excuses for why they’re not at work, or ‘working from home’ instead. To celebrate the return of the Cheltenham Festival, Betfair customers can get a free bet on racing multiples each day of the Cheltenham Festival.
In the same survey, 85% of sports fans say they will be watching the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup at 3:30pm this Friday, while more than 60% also admitted they’ll be watching the race at home. Whether people are skiving off work or they’ve taken the day off just for it, all eyes will be on the race won by Galopin Des Champs and jockey Paul Townend last year.
Whilst Townend and trainer Willie Mullins have won three of the last six Gold Cups, it was recently revealed in a survey conducted by Betfair that Rachael Blackmore’s run on A Plus Tard in 2022 for trainer Henry de Bromhead was the most iconic winner of the race in the last 100 years, as she stormed away from the field to win by a staggering 15 lengths, making history as the first female jockey to win the race.
There’s even more reason to celebrate winners for Blackmore at Cheltenham this year thanks to the Serial Winners Fund, a one-of-a-kind initiative that is raising money for the Injured Jockeys Fund and Irish Injured Jockeys. Back in November, Betfair and Blackmore launched the fund with an initial £100,000 donation and throughout the season, £5,000 has been added by Betfair every time Blackmore has ridden a winner.
The fund, which concludes on Grand National Day, has seen a further £85,000 donated, taking the total so far up to £185,000. However, Betfair have decided to double the donations for the next 4 days of racing at the Cheltenham Festival, to £10,000 anytime she rides a winner.
Remember, Betfair customers will also receive a FREE bet on racing multiples each day of the Cheltenham Festival.
18+ BeGambleAware
Thomas Thorn