BAR 1 Betting has been shortlisted for a prestigious SBC Award in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category, following the success of our standout Cheltenham campaign, ‘Lights. Camera. Cheltenham!’
The nomination recognises the impact of the campaign, which launched ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival and marked BAR 1 Betting’s first major campaign following the company’s rebrand from Bar One Racing in November 2025.
A Different Take on Cheltenham
‘Lights. Camera. Cheltenham!’ was created to introduce the new BAR 1 Betting brand to racing fans during one of the biggest and most competitive weeks of the betting calendar.
Rather than following the traditional approach to Cheltenham advertising, the campaign transformed the Festival into a blockbuster movie production, with some of the biggest names in racing becoming ‘The Cast of Cheltenham’.
The campaign developed a distinctive visual identity inspired by film sets and studio photoshoots, helping BAR 1 Betting create a memorable presence around the Festival.
The creative concept was brought to life across a wide range of channels, including advertising, social media, podcasts, editorial content, racecourse activations and customer communications.
The campaign delivered record customer acquisition, engagement and retention during Cheltenham week, helping BAR 1 Betting make a major impact with customers during its first big Festival campaign under the new brand.
Recognition at the SBC Awards
Now in its 13th year, the SBC Awards recognise the leading achievements across the global betting and gaming industry, with awards covering areas including marketing, payments, platforms and data.
BAR 1 Betting’s nomination in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category recognises the creativity, ambition and execution behind ‘Lights. Camera. Cheltenham!’.
BAR 1 Betting CEO Barney O’Hare said:
“Being shortlisted for an SBC Award is a fantastic achievement for everyone at BAR 1 Betting. Our campaign introduced the brand to new customers and made a big impact during one of the biggest weeks in the betting calendar.”
Head of Marketing Aaron Hughes added:
“‘Lights. Camera. Cheltenham!’ was all about making BAR 1 Betting stand out. We wanted to move away from the traditional look and feel of Cheltenham advertising and create a campaign with a strong identity that people would remember. To see that creative approach recognised alongside some of the biggest brands in the industry is a huge achievement for the team.”
The winner of the Marketing Campaign of the Year award will be announced at the SBC Awards ceremony at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal, on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
About BAR 1 Betting
Founded in 1992 by CEO Barney O’Hare, BAR 1 Betting is one of Ireland’s leading independent bookmakers, offering retail and online betting on horse racing, greyhound racing and a wide range of sports.
The company rebranded from Bar One Racing to BAR 1 Betting in November 2025 and continues to invest in innovation, sponsorship and customer experience.
BAR 1 Betting supports some of the biggest events in Irish horse racing and greyhound racing and currently has more than 60 retail outlets nationwide, employing approximately 350 people across Ireland.
