Breeders’ Cup release

LONDON/LEXINGTON – Breeders’ Cup Limited Thursday announced simulcasting and licensing agreements with Betfair Group Limited that will permit common-pool wagering on the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Championships to be held at Santa Anita Racetrack in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 6 and 7.

The landmark agreement marks the first time that Betfair will commingle into the Breeders’ Cup pools. This will provide Betfair’s worldwide customer base of over 2.5 million with access to common-pool betting on the Championships. 

“Our agreement with Betfair is an important milestone in our ongoing effort to grow the international simulcast wagering market for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” Breeders’ Cup President and CEO, Greg Avioli said.

“As more and more international horses participate in our championships, interest levels and wagering handle from around the world continue to increase, allowing us to maintain the highest possible purse levels for the event.”

The licensing agreement will allow Betfair to live video stream the Breeders’ Cup races via its website and to promote exchange wagering for their international customers. The grant of license rights will permit Betfair to use the Breeders’ Cup marks and advertising in the marketing of the Championships.

The agreement will see the Breeders’ Cup receive agreed revenues from Betfair’s tote and exchange betting on the Championships.

Betfair and Breeders’ Cup already have a strong partnership via Betfair’s TVG, the leading interactive horseracing network in the U.S. purchased by Betfair in January 2009. TVG is an official media partner of the Breeders’ Cup and the sponsor of the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Betfair’s Director of Horseracing Stephen Burn commented: “We are delighted to provide our customers with the ability to directly access the tote pools to America’s premier racing event.

“Our partnership with the Breeders’ Cup is the beginning of what we intend to be a mutually beneficial partnership with U.S. racing.”

International handle bet directly into the Breeders’ Cup pools on the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships was $17.6 million, up 16 percent from 2007 and 34 percent from 2006. The Breeders’ Cup has been a leader in the international efforts to expand global racing and promote common pool wagering.

The 25th Breeders’ Cup World Championships last year at Santa Anita attracted a record 31 starters from outside the U.S. The Breeders’ Cup is telecast in 140 countries worldwide.

The 26th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, the world’s richest sporting event with over $25 million in purses, will be hosted by the Oak Tree Racing Association at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Nov. 6-7.

About Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships; Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships consisting of 14 races and $25.5 million in purses, which makes it the richest event in sports. At last year’s Breeders’ Cup, more than $100 million in winning wagers were returned to fans at betting locations around the globe.  The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, and the Breeders’ Cup Stakes Program. Breeders’ Cup has offices in Lexington, Ky., and in New York City. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You may follow the Breeders’ Cup on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BreedersCup

About Betfair

Betfair is the world’s biggest online betting community and pioneered the first successful betting exchange in 2000. Driven by cutting-edge technology, Betfair enables customers to choose their own odds and bet even after the event has started. The company now processes over six million transactions a day from its two million registered customers around the world. In addition to sports betting, Betfair offers a portfolio of innovative products including casino, exchange games and poker.

Betfair has twice been named the UK’s ‘Company of the Year’ by the Confederation of British Industry and remains one of the only betting companies to win a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, being recognised for Innovation in 2003 and most recently International Trade in 2008.

Betfair currently employs over 1,600 people, principally in London, Malta and Tasmania. The company is a licensed betting operator in the UK, and holds licenses in the United States, Australia, Germany, Austria, Italy and Malta.