TOTE Ireland has announced plans to increase the availability of their betting pools in many more independent bookmaker outlets. Currently Tote betting is available in all of the Bar One Racing, Bruce Betting, Tracksports and Tully Bookmakers’ outlets in Ireland.

The move comes following a partnership with bizTech Software whose primary application, the arklePOS system, had become the fastest selling point of sale till system to the independent bookmaking shops.

Tote Ireland is currently enjoying an increase in betting revenues, with a large part of that growth coming in their off-course business. It is hoped that the new installations will further increase that revenue stream. Barney O’Hare, CEO of Bar One Racing endorses the move, saying this week: “It’s great to be able to give our customers the opportunity to win big for a small stake, with pools such as the Scoop6 and the Pick 6 being linked to the Tote. It also widens our product offering for our customers and we welcome every opportunity to do this.”

The new partnership involves the integration of the Tote system onto the arklePOS system and will allow customers in the betting shops to play all pools – the Pick 6, Placepot and Jackpot – as well as the Scoop6 in Britain. Tim Higgins, CEO of Tote Ireland, believes this will have great appeal, with guarantees of up to €50,000 every Sunday in Ireland. The Scoop6 pool regularly exceeds £100,000.

“This is just another part of Tote Ireland’s commitment to work with all sections of the industry to provide a better product for our customers. We are pleased to be working with many of the independent bookmakers in the country, as well as our existing partnerships with Paddy Power and Ladbrokes and are proud to offer our products in their shops,” said Higgins.

While Tote on-course pools suffered a small decline in the first six-months of 2015, their off-course Irish pools rose by 36% to €26.1 million. The trend continues with a buoyant Galway Festival showing Tote increases of 9% while international partners have bet €8 more in 2015 than last year.