Sports and gambling have a close relationship – gambling companies sponsor sports teams, own them, and want access to their fans.
But why exactly is the relationship between these two age-old pastimes getting closer? The simple answer is money, but that alone isn’t enough of an answer/reason.
In this article, I explain how money is helping to bring sports and gambling closer together, but I also ask the question of whether this relationship may have reached its peak.
Fan data for marketing is bringing sports & gambling closer
Data is enormously important, and it takes just one word to explain why companies want as much of your data as possible – money. Sports and gambling are no different and 2019 showed one of the main reasons why data is bringing the two closer together. Let me explain.
In the summer of 2019, the NFL signed a multi-year and multi-million dollar deal with Sportradar AG – a company that provides “betting and content solutions, and consultancy service.” Sportradar AG takes the data it receives from sports teams and uses it to drive engagement with their fans.
Why has this relationship between Sportradar AG and happened? Because the NFL is the richest league in the U.S. and by getting access to its fans’ data, gambling companies can market to them more effectively – we’re back to the money.
Because gambling associates gain from sports advertising
Soccer is the most popular sport on the planet – half the world’s population watched the 2018 World Cup final. With such enormous interest in the sport, it’s clear that using a soccer club to advertise your brand can put your name out to a huge number of potential customers – Stoke City F.C. are one of the clearest examples of this.
Stoke City are one of England’s oldest clubs and they have a varied history – it’s where England legend Stanley Matthews spent the majority of his career. Stoke City also has a loyal local fanbase and their games are televised across the world.
In 2006, Peter Coates completed a takeover of the club. Coates was able to afford this because of gambling – Coates is the owner of Bet365, noted by online casinos reviews website www.onlinecasinos.co.uk as being one of the UK’s leading gambling sites.
While Coates is a Stoke-on-Trent lad and a fan of the club, he’s also a businessman and Bet365 gained from his ownership of the club – Stoke City changed the name of their stadium to the Bet365 Stadium and are sponsored by Bet365. This advertising puts Bet365 in front of an enormous amount of viewers every week, helping it to gain new customers every time Coates’ sports team plays – it’s why half the teams in the EPL are sponsored by online casinos.
Online betting allows sports fans to bet on the move
High street bookies are found in many different sporting nations – they’re places that allow you to place a wager on a sporting event, along with making a bet on a fruit machine. Previously, bookies were one of the only places that allowed sports fans to gamble on their favourite team, but the advent and spread of the internet have changed this.
There are now thousands of betting sites and online casinos that allow you to make a bet while on the move. This has helped to make the relationship between sports and betting closer. Why? Because it makes casual betting simpler and quicker.
Picture this, you’re at the ball game, a football match, or a soccer derby and decide you want to make a bet. Online gambling allows you to do so, meaning you can make some money without having to leave your seat. If we’re being honest, this ease of access is only going to increase. What does this mean? That online betting is going to help gambling and sports to get closer and closer.
Recommended reading: The Future Of Traditional Casinos
Recommended reading: Why online betting is the next big niche
I’ve looked at three reasons why the relationship between sports and gambling is getting closer, but really they’re one and the same – gambling companies have money, sports clubs have fans, and gambling companies want these fans (it’s simple).
But this couldn’t happen if gambling wasn’t becoming less taboo and in recent years it’s gained a wider mainstream acceptance. But is there an end date on this? Sports fans (speaking as one and as someone with a lot of sports fan friends) are getting tired of the relentless promotion of sports betting.
So, will the relationship between sports and gambling start to become less close? Only time will tell…
Photo via Flickr.