IRISH BOOKMAKER Paddy Power reveal that a quarter of punters polled confess to pulling a sickie in the past in order to enjoy the Cheltenham Festival.
The Irish bookmaker conducted the survey to launch ‘Paddy Power’s Cheltenham Bunker’, a flagship fanzone in the heart of Dublin for Irish punters who can’t make it to the Cotswolds this year.
Both Thursday 17th March and Friday 18th March will be bank holidays in Ireland.
A four day weekend. At the end of Cheltenham week. pic.twitter.com/e9YRazrDWS— Paddy Power (@paddypower) January 19, 2022
The betting firm will take over The Camden, on Dublin’s Camden St, to host a mega event across for the final two days of the festival to coincide with the double bank holiday on March 17 & 18.
Based on a survey carried out amongst their customers across Ireland and Britain, the well-known Irish betting firm revealed that 60% of sports fans plan to watch the festival from home this year.
On average, 18% of the 482 punters surveyed, said they would head to their local pub to lap up the action.
But that figure rises to 36% when the Irish cohort were exclusively asked.
The poll also revealed information that may well set the hearts of employers racing for all the wrong reasons after one in four admitted they plan to double job during race week, and intend to watch The Festival while at work.
So, Paddy Power buddied up with The Camden, a venue which boasts Europe’s largest indoor 4k screen, to provide horseracing fans with the perfect base for the final two days of The Festival.
(Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)Spokesman Paddy Power said:
“For years I’ve dreamed of creating the ultimate escape during race week. Front row seats to all of the action on multiple screens, without fear of a big head drifting into my eyeline during the Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle, my internet crashing during the Ryanair Chase or Mammy asking me to empty the dishwasher during the Gold Cup.
“Paddy Power’s Cheltenham Bunker ticks all those boxes. Think, pints, pants, and likeminded punters – all standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Festival legends like Fran Berry, Paul Carberry, the best tipsters and plenty of craic. If you can’t be in Cheltenham, you’ll want to be here.”
“If you think Bob Olinger is a brand of champagne, stay away. If the only Honeysuckle on your radar exists in a tiny bottle, don’t bother buying a ticket.
“And if you think Facile Vega might be related to American singer Suzanne Vega, please don’t turn up. Otherwise, we are inviting fans to pull up a pew and soak up every millisecond of the Cheltenham Festival uninterrupted – and all without having to set foot next or near a budget airline,” he added.
Tickets are available via Universe here at a cost of €20.
See More: Cheltenham Races, Paddy Power
