- Cheltenham Festival more popular than the Super Bowl according to British and Irish fans – despite record-breaking viewing figures
British and Irish sports fans would rather watch The Cheltenham Festival live as opposed to the Super Bowl, research has found.
A survey* of more than 1,500 British and Irish sports fans, conducted by Betway, posed the following question: “Which of the following, if any, is a better spectacle?”
Respondents were then given the opportunity to answer by selecting either the Super Bowl or the Cheltenham Festival, with 52% opting for the four-day festival in Gloucestershire.
Super Bowl LVIII featured a spectacular half-time show by Usher, with Taylor Swift in attendance and an average viewership of 123.4 million, the most watched telecast in United States history and the second-most watched US broadcast event behind the Apollo 11 moon landing.
However, it clearly has not resonated on this side of the Pond, with Betway discovering that the split between male and female participants was exactly equal as well.
The survey revealed that 52% of male participants believed the Cheltenham Festival to be a better spectacle than the Super Bowl, with the same percentage of female voters agreeing.
| Which of the following, if any, is a better spectacle? (Tick one) | |
| Cheltenham Festival | The Super Bowl |
| 52% | 48% |
The key differences in preference can be seen more clearly in the age differentials of voters, with younger participants of the survey more likely to opt for the Super Bowl as opposed to the Cheltenham Festival.
When breaking down the survey by age brackets, Betway found that 63% of voters aged between 18-24 answered in favour of the Super Bowl, as opposed to just 37% for the Cheltenham Festival.
Similarly, those participants aged between 25-34 also believed the Super Bowl was a better spectacle than the Cheltenham Festival, with 56% opting for the flagship American event.
| Age Range | Cheltenham Festival | The Super Bowl |
| 18-24 | 37.00% | 63.00% |
| 25-34 | 44.00% | 54.00% |
| 35-44 | 56.00% | 44.00% |
| 45-54 | 56.00% | 44.00% |
| 55+ | 63.00% | 37.00% |
A spokesperson for Betway said: “What the survey reveals to us is that Cheltenham Festival remains a true spectacle to British and Irish racing fans, as well as the casual audience.
“From the outside, the grandeur and ostentatious nature of the Super Bowl may appear alluring, but anyone who has visited the famous Cheltenham Festival will know just how exhilarating and joyous the four days can be. With COVID-19 wreaking havoc on previous years, the 2024 iteration offers younger viewers the opportunity to experience it now firsthand.
“Those aged 35 and older are likely to have visited the Festival before, perhaps explaining why they opted for it and a poignant reminder for anyone who has not yet been to visit the famous course.”
Latest Cheltenham ante-post odds via Betway
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase odds
- El Fabiolo – 2/5
- Jonbon – 7/2
- Ferny Hollow – 14/1
- Captain Guinness – 16/1
- Edwardstone – 16/1
Cheltenham Gold Cup odds
- Galopin Des Champs – 4/6
- Fastorslow – 9/2
- Gerri Colombe – 8/1
- Shishkin – 8/1
- L’Homme Presse – 9/1
- Hewick – 14/1
- Bravemansgame – 16/1
- Gentlemansgame – 16/1
Champions Hurdle odds
- Constitution Hill – 1/4
- State Man – 5/2
- Lossiemouth – 4/1
- Irish Point – 16/1
- Not So Sleepy – 20/1
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.