totesport is officially the UK’s fourth largest bookmaker with over 500 High Street betting shops, outlets on Britain’s 60 racecourses, plus thriving internet and telephone-based gambling services. Totesport is a newer version of The Tote and was formerly a public body owned by the UK government. It was sold in June 2011 to bookmaker Betfred for a reported sum of £265 million. Under the terms of the deal Totesport will continue as a betting brand in its own right.
The history of totesport’s precursor The Tote is a long and prestigious one. The Tote was first created by the UK government in 1928 in order to provide a safe, state-run alternative to illegal off-course bookmakers and ensure that some gambling revenues were re-injected back into the sport of horse racing.
The Tote opened its first High Street betting shop in 1972 and its off-course gambling operation has grown considerably since then. Tote Direct was set up in 1992 to channel Tote bets from High Steet betting shops into Tote pools. As a result Tote betting terminals now appear in thousands of betting shops across the UK. More recently Totesport became the de facto brand for The Tote business.
totesport offers several deposit and withdrawal options online including Mastercard, Maestro, Visa, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, Solo, Laser and Moneybookers.
totesport caters for all types of online gambling, offering sports betting, casino, poker, bingo and a wide range of skill games available at the click of a mouse.
totesport is predominantly popular in the UK but also serves a wide range of international customers through its online operation. Totesport does not take bets from France or the United States.
totesport has a maximum payout limit of £500,000 on horse racing, golf and major soccer events and £250,000 on greyhounds. See our complete list of Totesport’s payout limits.
totesport currently offers betting in English, French, Italian, Danish, German, Spanish and Swedish.
totesport is licensed for sports betting by the UK Gambling Commission. Its headquarters are based in Wigan in the north-west of England.
totesportuses software companies Playtech and Virtue Fusion to run its online operation.