The Biggest Football Betting Sponsorships In The UK
Football clubs and betting companies have a mutually beneficial relationship: the club gets money to spend on transfer fees, renovations and other significant programs, whilst the betting company gets visibility and engagement. The leading football sponsors are betting sites (15%), before financial services and airlines. Within the last few years, there have been several high-profile club and player betting sponsorships, which we will discuss below.
West Ham United FC and Betway
The West Ham and Betway sponsorship deal is arguably the most talked about betting sponsorship in UK football. West Ham are a Premier League club that have previously partnered with huge corporations like Red Bull, Adidas, Umbro, and eToro. On the other hand, Betway have the most football sponsorships of all betting companies and are listed by many portals like BetSelect as being the one of the largest bookmakers in the UK. Previous clubs that Betway have sponsored include Arsenal, Brighton, and Atletico Madrid.
Since 2015, Betway have sponsored West Ham as their shirt sponsors. This means that West Ham wear the famous Betway logo on the front of their shirt, which gives them brand exposure to loyal fans and spectators who watch the matches. This deal was initially worth ₤6 million a year but has reportedly increased to ₤10 million a year instead.
Stoke City FC and Bet365
The Stoke City and Bet365 sponsorship is another lucrative deal that will no doubt make the history books. Stoke City competes in the EFL Championship League and has previously had sponsors like Adidas and Puma. Their most significant partnership remains to be Bet365, since 2012, when Britannia was replaced.
From the 2016/ 17 season, the home stadium of Stoke City was renamed the Bet365 Stadium, which was a part of the six-year deal. The exact value of their sponsorship is unknown, but it was rumored that in 2017 Stoke City received ₤3.2 for the year. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that John Coates owns the club since it was acquired in 2006, and he is the co-CEO of Bet365. Hence, the two will always be affiliated.
Sunderland AFC and Spreadex
In 2022, Spreadex announced that they would be partnering with Sunderland in a three-year sponsorship deal. Sunderland is a part of the English Championship and have previously been sponsored by other betting company giants such as the Irish business BoyleSports.
The value of the deal was worth a seven-figure sum, and Spreadex became a front-of-shirt sponsor. In addition to this, Spreadex pledges to donate ₤100 to charity every time a goal is scored by them in their home stadium. Until the summer of 2025 this deal will continue, when we will learn if the two decide to extend their contract or part ways.
Blackpool FC and Leo Vegas
Blackpool F.C. is a League One club that up until recently did not have any huge sponsorships in the making. Notable companies that the club worked together with in the past have included Fila, Carlotti, and Sporta. In 2023, Leo Vegas proposed a partnership with Blackpool and quickly became the shirt sponsor. This came as no surprise, because Leo Vegas is transparent in its goal to maximize brand exposure through football clubs, like they have before with Brentford in 2017 and even A.S. Roma, a Serie A club in Italy. The Blackpool season kit for 2023/ 24 was a huge success; the muted orange shirt along with the Leo Vegas logo on the front was vibrant and refreshing.
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and DEBET
The Wolverhampton Wanderers are a Premier League club that have famously just signed a deal with DEBET, an online sportsbook and casino founded in 2019 that swiftly became South Asia’s fastest growing betting sites. DEBET are now the official partners of the club, alongside other main partners like JD Sports. The multi-year sponsorship means that DEBET will continue to grow globally, especially in the United Kingdom. The logo will be proudly displayed on both the playing and training kits for this season and the 2025/ 26 season. Whilst the exact value of the deal has not been made public, it is the biggest partnership the club has signed.
It is also worth mentioning that the Wolverhampton Wanderers have also partnered with Bet MGM, a brand owned by Leo Vegas. They have become the official European betting partner.
Burnley FC and W88
Burnley F.C. confirmed that W88 would be the official sponsor for the 2023/ 24 season, but why was this so legendary? Fans believed that this was an exciting move because it further solidified the rebrand made by the club, when they bravely returned to the Premier League after being relegated at Tottenham after a 2-1 defeat. Hence, both the men’s and women’s team wearing the W88 logo on their shirt meant that they could use the partnership to pay the hefty costs needed to operate successfully. For W88, this was also a smart move because all eyes would be on Burnley to monitor their performance, and which tactical improvements had been made.
Currently, Burnley have announced a new two-year partnership with betting site 96.COM, which will commence from the 2024/ 25 season as an official front-of-shirt partner.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are so many profitable football betting sponsorships in the UK, both in the past and present. Often the value of the deals is in the millions and therefore serves the clubs well in order to improve their squad, stadium, and general outreach. Ultimately, betting companies benefit majorly from this because of the overwhelming support from fans, which helps them to gain loyal customers on their platform.
However, this era of football is coming to an end. The Premier League has announced that from the 2026/ 27 season, there will be a ban implented. Gambling sponsorships, more specifically front-of-shirt deals, will be restricted. Such prohibition will affect several clubs in the league, but there are ways to get around this. For example, shirt sleeves will remain allowed. This rule has been agreed upon thanks to stricter gambling legislation, which will help to minimize irresponsible gambling and exposure of betting to children.