The English Premier League is one of the most famous football leagues in the world. Both football and gambling enthusiasts follow it religiously every season to see who survives relegation and makes it to the top six.
The number of gambling sites sponsoring events, cups, shirts, and sleeves both in the English Premier League and local premier Leagues has continued to rise, with currently 8 EPL clubs getting sponsored by various gambling sites. The connection between sports, gaming, and the gambling industry will continue to model these industries.
Gambling sites and bookmakers market themselves by displaying their names and websites on athletes' t-shirts and training kits, while the football clubs pocket lots of cash from these deals.
We can all agree that professional football players are enjoying better days in their careers. Betway casino, one of the giant international bookmakers, has made a name both in the EPL and several local Premier Leagues.
The bookmaker is famous for the largest ever sponsorship deal where Westham United pocketed 20 Million Euros. The football club-Westham United- has been under Betway's sponsorship since 2015, when the bookmaker became its principal sponsor.
English Premier League Clubs 2020/2012 sponsored by gambling sites
With the EPL season, 2021/2022, set to begin on August 23rd, 2021, it's worth noting who will be gracing the event either as partners or sponsors. 40% of the EPL clubs get sponsored by gambling sites who are their shirt sponsors and two on the sleeves. The number precedes those clubs sponsored by financial institutions, automotive companies, and clothing brands. Here's a list of the EPL clubs with bookmakers for sponsors;
Shirt sponsors
- Westham United Betway
- Crystal Palace W88
- Leeds United SBOTOP
- Wolverhampton Wanderers ManBetx
- Burnley Love Bet
- Southampton io
- Fulham Bet Victor
- Newcastle United Fun88
Sleeve Sponsors
- Aston Villa LT
- Burnley Love Bet
- West Bromwich Albion 12BET
Betway and Local Premier Leagues
The English Premier League draws its fans from local communities from the world over. The league continues to gain popularity through various grassroots programs and projects to benefit and entertain both local players and fans. Football champions playing for the big clubs in the top 6 clubs come from various local Premier League Clubs.
Kenya
Betway has sponsored several FKF events in Kenya, which have seen several clubs in the Kenya Premier League compete for the Betway Championship cup.
This is indeed one of the projects that is meant to improve local sports while providing a platform for young talents to showcase their skills.
Hosting sporting events is expensive, and without big names like Betway in the picture, football professions would have a hard time making anything out of their passions.
With more matches, now football players can focus on more training since their jobs are more stable.
Ghana has a special place with Betway, and three of its football clubs have enjoyed Betway's sponsorship.
The two-time winner of the Ghana Premier League title in 2010 and 2017 is one of the clubs sponsored by Betway since 2018. The club has been in existence since 1985 and only made it to the country’s Premier League in 2009.
Liberty Professionals Football Club
Founded in 1996 in Accra, this football club secured a sponsorship with Betway after avoiding relegation from Ghana PL narrowly the previous season.
Ashanti Gold Sporting Club
The club was formed by Ashanti Gold mine corporation staff in 1978 and has suffered a long time for a sponsor. In 2016 Betway stepped in as their principal sponsor. The club has participated in top-tier championships in the country. They secured a runner-up position in the Ghanaian FA cup, which saw them advance to playing in the GPL.
Uganda
Red Eagles (Express Football Club)
Founded in Kampala, Uganda, the Red Eagles are the first-ever premier football club with the most football fans in the country since 1957. The club has won more than 10 cups in Uganda and six leagues in the Azam UPL (Uganda Premier League).
Betway became their sponsor in 2018 and has played a pivotal role in providing them with food relief and facilitators during the lockdown in 2020.
On the bottom line, many bookmakers and gambling sites have found the premier league a better option to market their betting products while giving back to the community.
Even though the subject is controversial, it is undeniable that gambling sites' sponsorships on sporting clubs and events have revolutionized the sporting industry.
Now football fans and gamblers can enjoy more live events locally and internationally, and bookmakers can make more profits from the same. These events are more strategic and profitable marketing platforms.
Other bookmakers that have been sponsoring Premier League clubs include Sports bet, Parimatch, and Bet 365.