What is Fitzdares?

Fitzdares is a UK-based luxury bookmaker offering an unparalleled level of service to its customers, both through an app and a traditional private telephone service. Famed for being an oustanding racing bookmaker, Fitzdares is partnered with Race Sharp and offers readers an exclusive welcome offer as well as price holds on certain daily tips from Nathaniel.

 

 

Why should I join Fitzdares?

Fitzdares is for the discerning sports fan and strictly adheres to 21+ only membership. 

Fitzdares offers more ways to bet than any other bookmaker, including via their app. Their service also includes the option to bet via telephone, text, live chat or even email, where you can expect to hear back from their expert team of sports brokers.

With Fitzdares, your customer service agent is someone who lives and breathes sport. He or she is probably watching the same event as you as you write or call into the office!

Fitzdares have a passion for service and experience. In 2020, despite the pandemic, a company dream was finally realised with the grand opening of a members’ club in Mayfair called The Fitzdares Club. Unlike the stuffy private members clubs of London, the Fitzdares Club is a fantastic place to watch sport and eat great food in a comfortable and convivial setting. You will also be able to pick up a copy of the Fitzdares Times, the company’s own newspaper.

 

Does Fitzdares give out free bets?

Fitzdares has no Welcome Offer at March 2023 but often has promotions on site.

Fitzdares is also giving customers 10% back on any weekly losses on French Racing, up to a maximum refund of £5,000.

 

Do you have to be invited to become a member?

No longer! Fitzdares used to rely on word-of-mouth and referrals, but today the app is open to anyone aged 21+ living in the UK and Ireland.

 

Is Fitzdares only a racing bookmaker?

Certainly not. Fitzdares has its roots in horseracing but they will look to take bets on just about anything. American Football, Cricket, Tennis, Football and Darts are the most popular sports with the current customer base and there is also a casino. 

More football customers are finding out about Fitzdares, who made a splash by handing out luxury kebabs to fans at Premier League matches last year. Recently customers were offered a free ‘booster’ bet if they could prove their vaccination status in the wake of the Novak Djokovic furore at the 2022 Australian Open tournament. The marketing team is certainly on the ball.

 

Why is Fitzdares known for horseracing?

Recently named SBC’s Racing Sportsbook of The Year, Fitzdares has a deep connection with horseracing and works tirelessly on delivering the best racing betting experience. Fitzdares has live streaming on racing from the top jurisdictions, such as the UK, Ireland, the US and France, antepost betting markets and specials. 

Racing takes priority at the Fitzdares Club in Mayfair and Fitzdares offers the best hospitality experiences on a British racecourse. In 2021, Fitzdares did a Club takeover of the Owners and Trainers section of Glorious Goodwood and put on a DJ night for hundreds of guests after a leisurely afternoon of lobster, chips and champagne. 

Fitzdares is also known for renting a castle for the Cheltenham Festival. The Fitzdares Castle, normally known as Eastnor Castle, was the scene of the wedding in Series 1 of the hit show Succession!

With many customers living or passing through London on a regular basis, Fitzdares has also redesigned Winston Churchill’s former hospitality box at Windsor Racecourse, which is a tremendous venue on a summer evening.

 

Does Fitzdares offering betting on French Horseracing?

Absolutely! The Fitzdares Traders love French Racing and will have most of the leading action priced up for its customers by 10am each morning. All French Racing benefits from live streaming both on the website and in the mobile app, so customers will never miss any of the action. The racecards also provide the colours of the owners, trainers, jockeys and breeding.

Fitzdares mostly offers flat and jumps racing in France, but there is also plenty of trotting action if that is your thing. The feature race in the French Trotting Calendar is the Prix d’Amerique each January.

 

How do you deposit and withdraw with Fitzdares?

Fitzdares accepts financial transactions via Mastercard, VISA and ApplePay. The minimum deposit is £10. Deposits are instant. Withdrawals on VISA are rapid. Withdrawals on Mastercard can take up to 2 working days. Revolut cards are not accepted.

 

Does Fitzdares offer live streaming?

Fitzdares has a full suite of streams for UK, Irish and international horseracing. There are no streams for tennis and football.

 

What is the Fitzdares Club and how do you become a member?

In September 2020, Fitzdares opened a members’ club in Mayfair called The Fitzdares Club. A stones’ throw from Claridge’s, it is spread over two beautifully decorated floors. There is a restaurant, bar, two private dining rooms and a dedicated Racing Room, with nine state-of-the-art 4K TVs showing live sport every day of the week. 

The Club Secretary keeps Club Members regularly informed about events such as the Superbowl night or the recent Club 1st Birthday Party, where members were invited to play darts with pros including Devon Petersen, Wayne Mardle, Gerwyn Price and Sarah Milkowski.

Club applications are invited online, where the rules are also published: https://www.fitzdares.com/club/.

Members may bet in the club but Fitzdares does not physically take bets there in cash.

Fitzdares customers may apply to become Club Members and there is an annual fee of £600. Fitzdares customers who are not Club Members may be invited to events at the Club from time to time, but may not book meals or private rooms until becoming a Club Member.

In 2022, Fitzdares opened a second permanent Club in the Cotswolds, with its own golf course.

 

What bonuses do Fitzdares do?

Bonuses depend on how generous Fitzdares are feeling. 

There is a sign up offer, a regular 10% back on in-play tennis losses and several promotions on the Saturday horseracing. This year they have unlucky loser concessions if your horse is second to a 20/1+ ‘rag’ and customers were paid as a winner if their NFL team scored 35+ points but ended up losing in the regular season.

What makes Fitzdares stand out however is a Weekly Loyalty bonus which is credited on a Monday. If you have had some bad luck in the previous week and are eligible for bonuses, you can expect to receive a bonus to a similar value of your average stake, valid for that week.

Offers are regularly updated at:

https://www.fitzdares.com/fitzdares-offers/

 

When did Fitzdares launch?

Fitzdares Limited was incorporated in June 2005 in the UK and soon launched its private telephone service.

Fitzdares launched its online and app betting on 15 October 2018, in partnership with technology provider FSB Tech. 

 

Who is sponsored by Fitzdares?

A number of different sporting stars, including:

  • Devon Petersen, a South African professional darts player
  • Jonathan Kumuteo, a Congolese-born British professional boxer
  • The racing yard of National Hunt trainer Ben Pauling
  • The racing yard of flat trainer George Scott
  • All horses owned by top amateur National Hunt rider, David Maxwell
  • Club racehorse, Chronos (aka ‘Ron’)

 

Who runs Fitzdares?

The business is run today by Balthazar Fabricius and William Woodhams. 

Balthazar is the Chairman and founded the business in 2005. He said, ‘Towards the end of my three-and-a-half years at Ladbrokes it felt like the industry was pivoting towards different products. Being a boring traditionalist, I wanted to keep the romance in storytelling. I wanted to re-imagine the principles of relationships and customer service, and cherish the honour and bravery that went along with being prepared to part with your cash.’

Fitzdares was born.

William Woodhams joined in the business as CEO in 2018, having been a customer before then. William’s background is in marketing and luxury goods – he has worked at Group LVMH, launching Belvedere Vodka, and was formerly global CMO of French Connection.

And finally, where does the name Fitzdares come from?

Fitzdares founder Balthazar Fabricius was named himself by the protagonist in the J.P. Donleavy novel, ‘The Beastly Beatitudes Of Balthazar B’. 

He named the business he founded after Elizabeth Fitzdare, who was Balthazar B’s love interest in the novel.