by Anton Johan
The much anticipated Cheltenham Festival is due to begin on March 16th, 2010,
and horseracing fans are already eyeing the action and considering their bets.
Before the beginning of this month, punters were hesitant to place bets as
they were subject to strict antepost rules whereby they would not be eligible
for a return of their bets if their favourite horse did not run in the race in
the end.
However, the first of the month as come and gone, and Ladbrokes has raised
the gloves for the first round in the fight between bookies to attract punters.
Ladbrokes is offering a Non Runner No Bet on all races in the
2010 Cheltenham Festival, meaning that players can enjoy peace of mind that
their money will be refunded should their backed horses not run.
"We expect the antepost market for the festival to really heat up tomorrow,"
said a spokesperson for Ladbrokes, Hayley O'Connor. "The non runner money back
offer on all 26 festival races will be strong reassurance for punters as
Cheltenham draws ever closer."
The gambling and sportsbook industries are expecting a bumper period and an
explosion of bets between now and the festival, which offers four days of
betting and racing opportunities.
The amount bet on the Festival increases each year, and this year organizers
believe that over £500 million will be wagered - the first time that the
amount has reached this milestone..
Ladbrokes is expecting a bumper year all round, as
soon as the Cheltenham Festival ends, punters will turn their attention to World
Cup betting for the event that will run in South Africa from June.
The shortest odds in several categories currently offered by Ladbrokes are as
follows:
Ladbrokes sponsored World Hurdle - 4/7: Big Bucks
Cheltenham Gold Cup - 4/6: Kauto Star
Queen Mother Champion Chase - 4/5 Master Mindedd
