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Paddy Power unveils 10ft retirement card to Tiger Roll as bookie reveals he earned punters over £500m

Published

4 years ago

March 16, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power estimates that Cheltenham Festival hero Tiger Roll has earned punters in the region of half a billion pounds over the course of his career.

The mega sum was revealed as the racehorse – owned by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary – was primed to land one final blow against the bookies in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (4:10pm) at Cheltenham this afternoon, ahead of his anticipated retirement from racing.

To celebrate Tiger Roll being put out to pasture, the cheeky bookie sent a special delivery to Cheltenham Racecourse in the form of a GIANT retirement card, created on behalf of all the happy punters he won money for over the course of his career.

Fans will have the opportunity to say farewell to Tiger Roll by personally signing the enormous card, which stands at 10ft in height and 14ft wide, as they make their way to the track for day two of the action in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Those who can’t be there can contribute their message via Twitter (@paddypower) using the hashtag #FarewellTigerRoll.

Having been purchased as ‘an afterthought’ for £10k by trainer Gordon Elliott, Tiger Roll went on to win the Aintree Grand National twice, earned over £1.4m in prize money over the course of his career, and secured five back-to-back wins at the Cheltenham festival.

He had been due to have a crack at equalling Red Rum’s record hattrick in the English National, but a row with the UK handicapper saw owner O’Leary pull his horse out of contention for what is considered the biggest race in the world, next month.

The upshot means that his swansong will instead occur at The Cheltenham Festival this afternoon, where he bids to equal a record set by wonder mare Quevega, who made it six-in-a-row with Ruby Walsh onboard back in 2014.

Speaking about the prospect of his achievement on Quevega being equalled, record-holding Cheltenham champion jockey and Paddy Power ambassador Ruby Walsh said: “It would be great to see it. He’s a wonderful horse.

“He’s won two Grand Nationals. He’s won a Triumph Hurdle, a National Hunt Chase and now he’s trying to win his fourth Cross Country Chase. Whatever accolades have been thrown at the horse, you’d have to say his trainer deserves them every bit as much.”

A new poll commissioned by Paddy Power revealed Tiger Roll was voted Ireland’s No.1 horse when measured against racing greats like Red Rum (17%), Hurricane Fly (14%), Desert Orchid (9%), Arkle and Kauto Star (6%) and Istabraq (5%).

UK racing fans put him in the No. 2 spot with 18% of votes, behind Grand National hattrick winning racehorse, Red Rum (28%).

Paddy Power, spokesman for the Irish betting firm of the same name, said: “He might have cost us dearly over the course of his career, but it was worth every penny to see how this horse captured the hearts and imaginations of racing fans.

“The famous Cheltenham roar we heard earlier this week will sound like a whimper compared to the cheers we expect to hear when Tiger Roll comes up the famous Cheltenham hill in front.

“But I must confess, while his retirement is a bittersweet day for most, it can’t come quick enough for us bookies. So, we sent him this supersized special delivery in the hope his connections won’t have any second thoughts!”

Tiger Roll remains the firm favourite to win the Cross Country Chase at odds of 6/4 and punters are so confident the superstar racehorse will pull it off, that Paddy is offering odds of the distance he will win by when it does.

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

3 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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