More than £1bn expected to be staked during the Cheltenham Festival

We expected a betting bonanza ahead of the Greatest Show on Turf…

Ahead of the Cheltenham Festival starting tomorrow, Paddy Power are predicting that it’ll be the biggest betting week in sporting history – expecting more than £1bn in bets across the bookmaking industry.

That amounts to 300,000 bets AN HOUR this week, with more than 70% of punters betting on Paddy Power ambassador Ruby Walsh – who’s finished as the leading jockey at Cheltenham on 11 occasions.

While the horse the bookies fear most is Footpad, the 5/4 favourite for Tuesday’s Arkle Chase. If the much-fancied horse wins the race, he’ll trigger the biggest pay-out of the week for Paddy Power.

Find the latest Horse Racing odds over at PaddyPower.com

Asked about the week ahead spokesman Paddy Power said: “I didn’t sleep much last night – it was like a grown up’s Christmas Eve.

“This week will be carnage around the Cheltenham Festival, with it proving the biggest betting event of the year. If Footpad wins on Day One, it could turn into a very long – and expensive – week.”

CHELTENHAM STATS

£1billion          Expected amount of bets during the Cheltenham Festival
300,00             Expected number of bets per hour during Cheltenham
5/4                   Odds on ‘bookie slayer’ Footpad winning Tuesday’s Arkle Chase
70                     Percentage of bettors who have backed Ruby Walsh
£12                   Average bet during Cheltenham

To see a full list of Paddy Power’s Cheltenham odds, head here.

Head over to PaddyPower.com for the latest Racing betting

* All odds correct at time of posting.