Bookmakers donate £250,000 to Covid and cancer charities despite Britannia loss

Covid-19 and cancer charities will benefit from a £250,000 boost despite bookmakers making a loss on the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) members, including Paddy Power Betfair, bet365, Ladbrokes, Coral, William Hill, Sky Bet, Betway, BetVictor, Kindred Group, Grosvenor Sport, Virgin Bet, Fitzdares, GentingBet and JenningsBet, had committed to donating all profits from win and each-way bets, after levy and duties were deducted, on the Britannia to charity.

However, with well-supported 9-2 shot Khaloosy leading home 11-4 favourite Finest Sound, it was not a good result for bookmakers, who made a loss on the mile handicap, the penultimate race on Thursday's card at Ascot.

However, the BGC members have agreed to donate £250,000, which will be split between four charities – Prostate Cancer UK, Marie Curie, The Care Workers Charity and the Berkshire Community Foundation Coronavirus Fund.

Michael Dugher, the BGC’s chief executive, said: “It was a great day for punters, though not such a good one for the bookies.

“However, it’s brilliant to see that despite bookmakers not making a profit in the race, they will still make a large donation of a quarter of a million pounds to four fantastic charities, who undoubtedly deserve every penny.

“I’d like to thank those BGC members for this wonderful gesture.”

Alastair Warwick, chief operating officer at Ascot, said: “This initiative was a tremendous gesture by the betting industry and reflects the ongoing contribution being made throughout the pandemic. The beneficiary charities will be most appreciative of this invaluable funding.”

It is not the first charitable racing initiative in recent months, with bookmakers raising more than £2.6 million for NHS Charities Together through April's Virtual Grand National.

Bookmakers already donated more than £2.6 million from profits on the Virtual Grand National

NHS Charities are also due another sizeable donation after jockeys riding at Royal Ascot on Saturday honoured the efforts of health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic by donating their riding fees for the day. With more than 100 runners, it is hoped that over £10,000 will be raised.

Front-line workers in the Liverpool area also have something to look forward to at next year's Grand National meeting as Jockey Club Racecourses will donate 10,000 tickets for the first day of the 2021 festival to the NHS and social care sector in Merseyside.

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