Major Study Into Gambling Reveals One In Ten Are Planning to Bet More at Cheltenham Festival This Year

Online Betting Guide (OLBG) commissioned a YouGov survey to look at the changing habits of UK gamblers

More than one in ten gamblers plan to bet more at the Cheltenham Festival this year than last year. In an extensive survey of British gamblers conducted by Online Betting Guide (OLBG) and YouGov, the signs are that some people may be keeping reserves back to wager on a big event where they may get more bang for their buck.

Over 1,000 gamblers nationwide participated in the survey commissioned by affiliate site OLBG to look into the habits of those who bet. And as horse racing’s biggest week, the Cheltenham Festival, arrives next week, the signs are that some people are changing their habits.

Asked about how much they would gamble in 2023 as a whole compared to 2022, 7% said they are planning to gamble more this year than over the previous 12 months.

The majority - 69% - say they will stake the same as they have done before with only 10% suggesting they would gamble less this year.

More money is staked on Cheltenham than in any other week of the horse racing calendar and when the excitement kicks off on Tuesday, 14 March, British punters are unlikely to be reserved when it comes to staking their cash.

Only just over half of those surveyed (50 %) didn’t bet on the Festival last year and don’t plan to this year - showing what a huge event this is for regular gamblers. 6% who didn’t bet last year say they intend to get involved this time around, changing their previous habits.

Of those who bet on Cheltenham races in 2022, 11 % of respondents said they plan to spend more in 2022.

Many UK gamblers really enjoy their annual battle with the bookmakers over Cheltenham week and it looks like they are setting funds aside to do the same this year.

That ratio more than doubles in London, where one in four (26%) are planning to spend more, compared to the Midlands, that figure drops to just 3%.

Countrywide, keeping to the same spending, accounts for 23%, with just 9% suggesting they would rein things in and bet a smaller amount.

More than one in five Londoners are preparing to bet more in general in 2023 (22%).

Across the country, the highest rates of those planning to spend more are in the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups

Overall Gambling 2023 compared to 2022

• 7% plan to gamble more this year
• 69% plan to gamble about the same
• 10% plan to gamble less this year
• 14% don’t know

Cheltenham Festival Gambling 2023

• 11% plan to gamble more at Cheltenham this year than they did last year
• 10% plan to gamble less at Cheltenham this year than they did last year
• 23% plan to gamble about the same this year at Cheltenham as to last year
• 6% didn’t bet on Cheltenham last year but plan to this year
• 50% didn’t bet on Cheltenham last year and don’t plan to this year

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 1007 UK Gamblers. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd February - 2nd March 2023.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK Gamblers (aged 18+).