Frequently asked questions
Yes. A race night properly run is a lottery: the race films are an entertaining way of selecting a winning number at random, and the tote tickets are chances in that lottery. The films are picked at random, the runners are not named, and no form is given before bets are placed. A race night should not be the only entertainment at the event, so it is usually run alongside food, a quiz, social event, presentation or similar activity.
A race night usually has six to nine races, each with eight horses. The early races are normally owner races where horses are sold before the night and owners name their horses. The final race is often an auction race, where horses are sold to the highest bidder on the night. Betting opens, the race is selected at random, the race is shown, winners collect payouts, and the winning owner receives their prize.
That depends on your audience and what they can afford. As a rough guide, previous organisers have averaged between £1 and £5 per horse, although stronger prizes or sponsorship can sometimes justify charging more.
Most race nights charge £1 per bet, but this can be adjusted depending on the audience and the event.
You need to sell the horses, collect horse names from owners, arrange winning-owner prizes, organise a float of around £150 in pound coins, and prepare any programmes you want to give guests. Race sponsorship can be a good way to fund owner prizes.
The organisers handle the financial side of the night: float money, tote ticket sellers, bingo, raffle tickets and similar arrangements. The presenter is not involved in financial transactions for bets or auctioned horses.
For a small crowd, two ticket sellers is usually enough. For larger crowds, particularly above 50 guests, it may be better to arrange three or four ticket sellers.
At the start of the race night, a payout percentage is agreed. The money collected for each race is totalled, and the prize fund is split between winning bets. The presenter’s computer calculates the prices on the night.
We supply programme templates in the customer area for you to edit and print. Our presenters specialise in race nights rather than full discos, but disco and/or karaoke can be added to your event for £60, subject to availability.