Using AI to Research and Predict Sports Betting Results – A Test Case

Written By:  Finn Huxley
Posted 14th March 2025 in Gambling Industry Insights

Using AI to bet on Cheltenham Gold Cup 2025

We’re early on in playing around with a few different AI models to test their current ability to impact the gambling industry. There are any number of areas where AI can cause a significant shift in operations within the online gambling industry, to name a few;

  • Responsible gambling
  • Fraud detection
  • Personalising user experiences
  • Odds and risk management
  • Game Development

Today, while working with ChatGPT’s deep research, we decided it would be an interesting test case to see how it goes about researching and predicting a winner for today’s Cheltenham Gold Cup race. It looks like there is only one clear winner, but we still want to see how ChatGPT would interpret that. It also lets us see how much more research it does and the steps it takes to reach a conclusion compared to a standard ChatGPT search.

So, here we have it;

The Top 5 Likely Winners of Cheltenham Gold Cup 2025 – A Data Driven Analysis

We wanted ChatGPT to collect as much relevant information as possible, so we asked the following:

This is a shortened version of our request
“Please provide a data-driven prediction for today’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, ranking the top 5 horses most likely to win. Evaluate based on:

  • Recent race results – such as positions, race grade, track/distance relevance
  • Teams track record – owner, trainer, jockey success in similar grades, distances and tracks
  • Recent form & performance trends – improvements, setbacks, injuries, or changes in training patterns
  • Betting odds & expert opinion – current odds, market shifts, expert recommendations
  • Weather & track conditions – how each horse performs under today’s expected ground conditions
  • Speed figures & sectional times – comparing adjusted ratings and pace breakdowns
  • Breaking News & Last-Minute Changes – any last minute injuries, jockey swaps, non-runners, equipment changes

You can find data for this analysis by accessing reputable horse racing data sources such as Racing Post, Timeform, Equibase, At The Races, Cheltenham Racecard, bookmakers (Bet365, Paddy Power, Oddschecker), BHA trainer/jockey statistics, BBC Weather, official course updates, and social media insights (RacingPost, TimeformLive, SportingLife).

Finally create your own weighted scoring model based on the gathered data to rank the top 5 horses with clear justifications and the probibilty score of them placing first.“

ChatGPT’s Answer for the Top 5 Most likely Winners

The research took ChatGPT over 10 minutes, resulting in an answer that was 10,000 words long. To spare you from having to read the whole thing, here’s the summary;
ChatGPT used the data it collected to determine the five most likely winners using its weighted model, and for each horse, it gave a detailed overview of each of the criteria we asked it to look at. This provided us with a ton of information on each of the five horses from recent results, owner/trainer/jockey records, form trends, odds and value, etc.

This was all followed by a concise summary with justifications for the top 5 likely winners and a confidence score as a percentage.

Here are the Top 5 likely winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the justifications provided:

Ranked Selections – Top 5 Likely Winners:

Galopin Des Champs – Confidence: ~65%. The dual champion is in formidable form and brings class, versatility, and proven stamina. He is challenging to oppose with an unparalleled record and highest ratings in the field​. Barring a significant mishap or extraordinary performance by a rival, he is the most likely winner.

Banbridge – Confidence: ~15%. A Grade 1 King George winner who has improved for distance. On the decent ground, he’s the chief threat to the favourite, mainly if he reproduces his Kempton heroics. He’s “the most likely danger to Galopin”, according to many experts​. The question is stamina in the final furlong, but conditions have come right for him.

Corbetts Cross – Confidence: ~8%. A strong stayer reaching peak age, poised to run much better now, back at a marathon trip. He needs a testing race to show his best, and if he gets it, he could grind his way into contention. He’s one of the few who would relish any rain. If the favourite underperforms, Corbetts Cross has the grit to capitalize. Stamina is his trump card.​

Inothewayurthinkin – Confidence: ~6%. The least exposed contender is expected to improve over this trip. Supplemented because connections feel he can figure in the outcome. He’ll stay on when others have had enough, so sneaking a win isn’t impossible if the race turns into an extreme test. More likely, he’s fighting for a place, but an upset win is not totally out of the question for this dour stayer.

The Real Whacker – Confidence: ~4%. A course-loving front-runner who could surprise if allowed to dictate. He has Cheltenham Festival-winning form and could outrun his odds. While a win is unlikely without multiple horses underachieving, his chances of hitting the frame are better than his price suggests. In an upset scenario, his bold jumping and course affinity make him an intriguing longshot.

Conclusion: Galopin Des Champs remains the clear top pick – he brings outstanding credentials (multiple Grade 1 wins, highest speed figures, unbeatable Festival record) and has earned a “red-hot” favourite status​. We give him around a 2 in 3 chance to complete the historic hat-trick. Banbridge is next best, with favourable conditions and a profile of a Gold Cup runner-up (or potential winner if Galopin falters). Corbetts Cross and Inothewayurthinkin are the stamina-packed spoilers who could elevate their form on the day – both are first-time Gold Cup runners with untapped potential over this exact test. The Real Whacker rounds out the five, bringing a puncher’s chance of an upset thanks to his love of Cheltenham and aggressive tactics. Barring accidents or a dramatically uneven pace, these five stand out on form, ratings, and suitability for the 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Each comes with varying degrees of confidence, reflected in the assigned probabilities. As always, in a race of this magnitude, surprises can happen – but based on data and analysis of all relevant factors, Galopin Des Champs is the deserving favourite and the most likely Gold Cup winner this afternoon​.

What do you think of this use of AI in Gambling?

So, that’s the short overview of what ChatGPT came up with when prompted to use deep research to give us data-driven predictions for the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2025. What do you think?

This little test case is quite basic, given the requirements we requested. As a starting point for where you could take this, though, we think the potential AI models shown for research and data-driven analysis are pretty eye-opening

We haven’t included a lot in the write-up here, as no one will be reading a full 12,000-word article about a fun little experiment. Still, if you’re interested in more of ChatGPT’s reasoning and research or any other prompts we are using for testing, don’t hesitate to get in touch.