'We are the biggest on-course bookmaker in Ireland' - firm strengthens betting ring position with purchase of 45 pitches for €3.1 million
Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more hereAK Bets believe they have become Ireland's biggest on-course firm after purchasing a significant number of pitches in a multi-million euro deal.The bookmaker has taken over 45 pitches from Pat O'Hare Bookmakers for a reported €3.1 million. The acquisition, which includes two pitches at Cheltenham, along with an increased presence at the Curragh, means that AK Bets have now increased their total number of on-course positions from 27 to 72.AK Bets were founded in 2021 by Anthony Kaminskas and the company, which also has an online presence, entered the British market last year. The purchase will see the operator expand into Northern Ireland for the first time, subject to licensing approval, as it includes pitches at Down Royal and Downpatrick.“We're really interested in premium pitches at the premier events, and we've got those,” said Kaminskas.Anthony Kaminskas: "We're really interested in premium pitches at the premier events"Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)“The big meetings are getting bigger. You can see the growth every year at the Punchestown festival, Galway has record pre-bookings for their festival, and the Dublin Racing Festival is one of the best weekends of racing anywhere. With 72 pitches, it means we're the biggest on-course bookmaker in Ireland.”Pat O’Hare Bookmakers was founded in the 1950s by the eponymous Newry businessman. Over the course of more than 70 years, the firm established itself as a prominent fixture in Irish and UK betting rings. Following O'Hare’s death in January 2024, the operation continued under the management of his son until the recent sale.Paying tribute to the firm, Kaminskas said: “For more than 70 years Pat, and now Damian, built the standout racecourse betting operation in Ireland.“AK Bets are standing on the shoulders of bookmaking giants with regards to the O’Hares. I wish Damian and his wife the best for the future.”Read more:Who were the winners and losers from three action-packed days at the July festival? 'I was terribly upset last week. I didn't even tell my son, after whom he is named, because I didn't want to cry' A Godolphin prospect not to write off, the go-to-team at York you cannot ignore and a race facing a struggle for relevance Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.
