The UK was one of the first countries to endorse online gambling. Still, this doesn’t mean everyone has always loved the industry. Before 2005, many football teams in the country didn’t want a gambling sponsor.
In the US, the relationship between pro sports and the gambling industry was worse. Former Major League Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig, called sports betting in 2012 “evil.” He also went on to say sports betting destroys sports.
Fast forward to 2022, and pro sports is in love with the remote gambling sector. Take football as an example. Half of Premier League teams have betting sponsors. In the US, the situation isn’t different.
The NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA—which all criticized sports betting at one time—now have gambling partners. What changed? How do online gambling companies help professional sports leagues?
Financial Support
Let’s face it. Sports leagues and teams are not just interested in winning matches and tournaments. They are businesses out to maximize their profits. Due to that, it’s in the interest of pro sports to partner with sponsors.
Sponsors pay professional teams and leagues for marketing. We’re talking about millions of pounds paid out to sports companies every year. The Emirates, for example, pays out €70 million to Real Madrid to be their sponsor.
Betting companies might not outbid airlines in the sponsorship race. But they spend anywhere from £2M to £10M per year to be the official jersey sponsors of clubs.
For clarity, jersey sponsorship is only the tip of the ice berg. Many online gambling companies also pay for advertising within sports arena, on social media channels and other avenues.
This translates to hundreds of millions of pounds spent by the gambling industry in pro sports. And this only applies to the EPL. Globally, gambling sponsorships are worth billions of dollars.
Engaging Sports Fans
The average sports fan is only interested in the results of their favorite team. They might watch basketball when their preferred team is playing. But if something more important comes up, they don’t have to watch the game.
People who bet on sports or play sports-themed slots aren’t average fans, though. According to research, many sports bettors tend to watch entire matches and follow a sport closely.
They are also more likely to play sports-themed slots at NicroCasino and other websites. That’s because they are fully invested in football, baseball, hockey, tennis or any other sport they choose to adore.
Speaking of slots, sports-themed games are like sports-inspired video games. They pay homage to a sport or athlete. And in doing so, they help fans enjoy their favorite slot or athlete beyond the realms of real-world sports.
Popularizing Teams and Athletes
When an online gambling company runs an advert featuring two F1 drivers, they make these athletes more popular. That’s because adverts tend to be full of praises to the leagues and athletes involved.
What’s more, the publicity that comes with constantly appearing on TV, newspapers and websites can turn any team popular.
Secondly, most people know about the popular leagues only. Let’s say it’s the football offseason. So, you can’t wager on the EPL. However, a good betting will usually feature some minor leagues from Asia, Africa or South America. In doing so, a lot of people can get interested in these smaller leagues and teams.
Another way betting companies popularize players and teams is by featuring them on their websites and through their advertising campaigns. As an example, a betting brand could partner with a young cricket play and turn them into a star through their marketing campaigns.
Betting Services
Supporting sports and leagues is yet another way online betting companies help pro sports grow. Think about it. As we mentioned, a lot of people become true football fans after a few successful bets.
But what if sports betting didn’t exist? Professional sports would still be popular. But it wouldn’t be available to the millions of people who learned about it from betting companies.
This is particularly true for minor leagues and sports. Take eSports an example. It focuses on video game competitions. Not everyone plays video games. But assuming you discovered eSports today, chances are you will get more interested in it.
You would probably watch a few eSports tournaments. Maybe you could even open a Twitch account. And in doing so, you would turn into a fan of the sport gradually.
Providing Sports News and Data
Some people get their sports news on ESPN, Sky Sports and BBC Sports. However, people who bet can have all the sports related data they need from their favorite betting apps and sites.
Let’s start with match schedules. Many betting sites display daily, weekly and monthly schedules for all major leagues. They also provide news updates, say when a player gets injured, new signings or changes in management.
Then there’s betting data. If you want to know how two teams have faired in the past, you can install a betting app. If you want help with making betting decisions, tipster sites exist for this reason.
Nurturing Talents
Few industries support upcoming athletes and leagues the way betting companies do. Usually, these companies will partner with a promising player. Then they help him or her get upkeep, training, kits and even try out at teams.
In other words, top-tier sportsbooks use a lot of their finances to nurture young talents. In all fairness, these companies sponsor athletes and teams as part of their marketing strategy.
That’s alright. A lot of players wouldn’t be successful without the help of corporate sponsors. Buying kits and paying memberships in some sports can be extremely costly. But with the help of financiers, it becomes easy.
Conclusion
It is true—professional sports play a role in promoting betting companies. However, the relationship between these two industries is mutual. Sportsbooks help sports leagues and teams grow in multiple ways.
The most popular method is through financing. They pay money to leagues, teams and players for advertising. In turning, teams can afford better training and higher salaries for their staff.