Experienced journalist and editor covering the sports and betting industry. A football, NFL and rugby specialist, he is a FWA member and judge at the Football Content Awards.
We speak to Sam Boswell, Head of Sponsorship and PR at BetVictor, for a debrief on the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
The popular online sportsbook isn't on-course, but still play a big part in the week and have a presence at the festival itself. Given the number of favourites that got beat, how was the week for the bookies, overall?
OLBG: Firstly, how was the Festival for you guys?
SB: It was great, interest was strong from our player base, and we launched our racing super boost for the Festival week which, ultimately, proved hugely popular.
OLBG: And what did you make of it generally compared to previous years?
SB: Results for us as a bookmaking firm were some of the best we have ever had at a Cheltenham Festival. The first day favourite acca failing at the second leg was a big relief, and then the rest of the week we lived a bit of a charmed life.
OLBG: Crowds were a little bit down – did that seem to affect anything much on course?
SB: As an online only bookmaker, it wasn't something we needed to worry about directly. That said, it is concerning to see as a fan of the sport. I spent the four days on track and there’s definitely more that needs to be done to look after those who make the effort to attend, especially when the general economic situation makes it hard for racing fans to attend multiple days. I think the hotels in the local area are the biggest culprits for causing this downturn of fans coming for more than one day, but that’s not an issue exclusive to racing. Unfortunately, I think that will be one of the hardest issues to solve long term because the sport has next to no control over it..
OLBG: Given the heavy favourites, was there a lot of apprehension from a bookie perspective going into the week?
SB: We always approach the Festival with some trepidation, and in recent years we have experienced some mixed fortunes. It does seem like people are becoming less price sensitive and more expectant of favourites to just deliver. As history tells us, however, they can't all win and once we had secured a good day one that naturally eases the pressure.
OLBG: What was the highlight of the week for you? Constitution Hill? Galopin des Champs?
SB: The highlight was definitely the competitive nature of the races, particularly those on paper that looked fairly unlikely to be good contests. No bookmaker likes to win as a result of a fall, but we saw plenty of results go our way irrespective of that. Willie Mullins doing us a favour in the Triumph Hurdle with a 100/1 winner certainly was a highlight.
OLBG: Is there anything that bookies would like changed, or improve, at the Festival?
I think a wider discussion needs to happen around what more bookmaking firms can be allowed to do to promote the Festival. Filming restrictions at times can feel antiquated and while a balance needs to be struck to protect the rights holders it still feels an area that needs to be opened up to help grow the sport.
OLBG: And what could the festival do to improve it for punters going forward?
SB: The mare's race must be capped at 150 rated horses, we can't continue to see the best avoid each other. Lossiemouth would have made for a fascinating contender in the Champion Hurdle. I think the Cross Country change has worked, the middle-distance Novice Chase becoming a handicap worked to some extent. Cheltenham and the relevant groups must not be scared to make further changes to ensure the racing program makes for less odds-on shots and deeper fields. Royal Ascot has managed to have five days of racing and just one odds on shot all week. I am not advocating for an extra day, but I think we all want race programs that ensure a stronger product overall.
