Football is unsurprisingly front-of-centre in most betting firm’s sports marketing strategies, particularly in Europe. Some companies value a diversified portfolio, however, targeting some more niche sporting scenes.
This week saw a prime example of this, as Betsson Group, a Sweden-based international betting firm, partnered with Premier Padel. The company states that it aims to be a dedicated sponsor of the worldwide professional padel tour.
The multi-year deal will focus on fan engagement, with enhancing the fan experience of the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour. Betsson plans to launch content and insights around leading padel players and offer VIP experiences and ticketing to fans of the sport during tournaments.
“We are delighted to welcome Betsson as our new official betting partner for the coming years,” remarked Rob Mitchell, Commercial Director, Premier Padel.
“This is an exciting time for Premier Padel and we are continually looking at ways to grow the sport globally and make it more appealing and engaging for fans both on and off the court.
“Our new partnership with Betsson will bring a new audience to Premier Padel tournaments and fans will experience new player information and in-tournament insights.”
Football definitely offers the opportunity for bookmakers to reach the widest possible audience due to it being the most widely followed sport in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, with a reasonable following in North America and Australia also – albeit behind other popular national sports in these latter markets.
A diversified approach has its benefits too, however, by reaching new demographics competitors may not have considered. This is something that seems to have underpinned Betsson’s sponsorship approach.
The Swedish firm, like others, counts many football clubs as partners. However, looking at its activities in Greece as an example, the firm places value on various other sports, like the WRC Rally Acropolis motorsports event.
With betting’s presence in football and other popular sports coming under scrutiny in some markets like the UK, Netherlands and Ireland – the industry’s relationship with Gaelic sports has also faced criticism in recent years in the latter – a diversified partner portfolio may become even more important for operators.
Commenting on the Premier Padel deal, Ronni Hartvig, Chief Commercial Officer, Betsson Group, said: “We are probably the most dedicated betting company out there when it comes to padel. With our extensive experience in sponsoring tournaments and offering one of the broadest ranges of odds in the industry.
“Not to mention that many of Betsson employees are devoted padel players. Now, we’re taking it a step further by becoming sponsors of the biggest tournament out there, and we are humbled and delighted to play our part in the growth of the sport.”
