U.K. bookmakers said betting on the Grand National steeplechase, one of horse racing’s most popular events, was mostly a dud. The event pulled in modest betting increases at most sportsbooks.
The event was also marred by animal rights protestors and a horse fatality.
Flutter Entertainment, who owns Sky Bet, Betfair, and Paddy Power, told Reuters that total bets on the race across its U.K. and Ireland online brands were £ 10.9 million, slightly up from last year’s £ 10.4 million.
It also didn’t help that the favorite, Corach Rambler, won the event. Flutter said it paid out a “seven-figure” sum.
“We’re looking at numbers in line with last year, so no notable growth to report which was expected given the wider fiscal and regulatory headwinds in the U.K. at the moment,” William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps told Reuters.
Ladbrokes owner Entain said 18 percent of its U.K. online customers backed Corach Rambler. Entain, which is set to report its first quarter results in the coming days, did not give further details.
Online revenue growth at British gambling firms have tapered off their highs and are starting to slow from pandemic times.
Some of the reasons attributed to the slowdown were higher cost-of-living and high inflation and borrowing costs.
The event on Saturday was delayed for 15 minutes by animal rights protesters at Aintree. Police said that 118 people were arrested during the incident, which saw activists scaling the perimeter fences with ladders. Some managed to glue themselves to fences on the track.
There was also a death of one of the entrants. Hill Sixteen suffered an injury during the race and had to be euthanized.
The trainer of Hill Sixteen, Sandy Thomson, told BBC Radio’s Today Programme that he held the demonstrators responsible because they had unsettled his horse.
“It was all caused by these so-called animal lovers, who are actually ignorant and have absolutely no idea about the welfare of horses,” Thomson claimed.
The race remains popular with horse racing fans. According to the BBC, the Grand National remains the most-watched horse race globally, with an estimated global viewership of 500 million to 600 million in over 140 countries.
