A new poll undertaken by Paddy Power with punters has revealed that one in four 'pull a sickie' the week of the Cheltenham Festival in order to watch the action.
The survey was conducted in conjunction with the launch of ‘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.
The betting firm will take over The Camden, on Dublin’s Camden St, to host a large-scale event during the final two days of the festival to coincide with the double bank holiday on March 17 & 18.
Their revealing survey revealed not only that punters feign illness to catch the action, but also that many will go to the pub to watch the races.
On average, 18% of the 482 punters surveyed said they would head to their local pub to lap up the action, with that figure rising to 36% when the Irish cohort were exclusively asked.
Additionally, one in four intend on watching the races while at work.
And so Paddy Power are set to pair up with The Camden venue in Dublin to provide punters with an atmospheric base from which the final two days of the festival will be aired on Europe's largest 4k screen.
Speaking at the launch, Paddy Power explained that an 'ultimate escape' for race week had been something he was pondering for some time.
He 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.”
And he advised those without the requisite racing knowledge to steer clear.
He continued: “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."
Tickets are available via Universe here at a cost of €20.
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
