New Owners of the Tote!

The UK Tote Group, formerly known as Alizeti, has announced that it has completed acquisition of the Tote, the UK’s pool betting operator for horseracing since 1928. It is are now the sole owner of the Tote and is focused on modernising and revitalising the 90-year old British institution.

Coming soon will be a new Tote website and the welcome return of the Ten to Follow competition. Tote will also be sharing its plans over the coming weeks for developing the brand and improving the customer experience. There have already be talks about offering Tote products though other retail and digital outlets and collaboration with overseas pool betting operators.

The UK Tote Group is backed by over 160 individual investors, the majority of whom are racehorse owners and breeders. Investors are united by a shared desire to see a revitalised Tote back at the heart of British horseracing, helping to financially secure the future of the sport for generations to come.

This Scoop6 site is run by fans of the bet, and of the other Tote bets. Originally set up in 2003 to help punters find out the Saturday Scoop6 races as early as possible, it has expanded to showing live updates as the Scoop6, Placepot and Jackpot pools have unfolded. We are excited by what sounds like a fresh burst of energy going into modernising the Tote.

Quotes from key figures

“Today marks the start of an exciting new era for the Tote. Pool betting plays a leading role in racing jurisdictions around the world and we believe the Tote can play a similar role in the UK, while supporting and growing British racing in the years ahead. I would like to personally thank Fred Done and his team at Betfred for their invaluable help over the last 18 months.

I would also like to recognise and thank all those across the industry who have been instrumental in our journey to acquire the Tote. We have received tremendous encouragement and support from owners, trainers, breeders, racecourses and those in the administration of the sport, for which we are enormously grateful. Our partnership with Britbet and its member racecourses is now well established, and we look forward to working even more closely with Neil Goulden, Nigel Roddis and the Britbet team to deliver an innovative and enhanced pool betting experience across the Britbet racecourses.

We also look forward to continuing to operate the pool at Ascot Racecourse for Bet with Ascot and building on the success of World Pool earlier this year with them and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Besides, the Hong Kong Jockey Club will continue to be one of our most important comingling partners from the strategic perspective of the Tote’s global connectivity.

The racing world has huge respect for British racing and we are very optimistic about its future. As the new stewards of this iconic British institution, we are focused on remaining true to the founding principles of the Tote, while modernising the business to secure its future relevance.”

Alex Frost, UK Tote Group Chief Executive

“I would like to offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has been part of helping us get here. As well as supporting British racing, we want the Tote to make an ever-increasing contribution to ‘UK Plc’. We have our headquarters in Wigan and we aim to expand further, as well as building the Tote’s global connections.

We have assembled a top-class executive team with a rare combination of passion, experience and expertise, who are entirely focused on ensuring the Tote has a bright future. We’re at the start of our journey to make the Tote into a successful, socially responsible business which truly cares about its customers and staff and gives back to the sport we love – a renewed Tote in which we can all take great pride.” 

Eamonn Wilmott, UK Tote Group Chairman

“Through our ownership of the Tote we have made a significant contribution to racing over the last eight years. We wish Alex Frost and his team all the best and they have been very fair to deal with.”

Fred Done, Founder and Chief Executive of Betfred

“We are proud to be investors in the Tote. The Racehorse Owners Association is here to support the interests of racehorse owners throughout the UK and we are delighted to see the Tote is now owned by people who care passionately about the future of British racing. We believe a rejuvenated Tote will be of significant long-term benefit to the finances of British racing which is a positive development for racehorse owners and the 85,000 people who work in the sport. We would encourage everyone in British racing to back the Tote.”

Nicholas Cooper, Chairman of the Racehorse Owners Association

“We welcome today’s news which provides clarity on the future of the Tote. We look forward to continuing to work with the UK Tote Group team to deliver the innovation and investment that will allow pool betting to flourish and, in turn, serve the sport we love. Along with the new technology we have rolled out across the 55 Britbet racecourses since July last year, today’s news gives us the scope to develop the racecourse experience for customers.”

Neil Goulden, Chairman of Britbet, which operates the pool betting outlets on 55 British racecourses

For more information about the UK Tote Group please visit: www.uktotegroup.com