Betting and football have a long and very fruitful history. Throughout the years, we've seen numerous football clubs that had betting sponsors. Betfair, 32Red, and Bet365 are just a fraction of those sponsors. But, the interesting part about this is that these companies have just recently started providing football clubs with sponsorship deals.

History of Betting Sponsorship in Football: The
History of Betting Sponsorship in Football: The Bets are On Pixabay

That is exactly the topic that we wanted to discuss in this article. We are going to take a look at how connected these two industries are and what is the history of betting sponsorships in football. Without any further ado, let's dive into the details.

Betting on Football Is Extremely Popular

As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the betting and the football industry have a long history. For as long as we can remember, football fans placed bets on the games. After all, they always keep a close eye on every game and are more than open to testing their knowledge.

Up until a few years ago, the only facilities where you could place bets were land-based sportsbooks. But, thanks to technological advancements, betting has evolved with the rise of online sportsbooks. These platforms allow you to bet on the games at any time and place, as long as you have a stable Internet connection.

Additionally, online sportsbooks are known for their security, a plethora of accepted payment methods, numerous sports to bet on, fantastic odds, bonuses and promotions, and easy access. They utilize the latest HTML5 technology, which makes them accessible on all desktop and mobile devices.

Research has shown that mobile betting is on the rise lately and that it is set to be the future of the betting industry. That is why many online sportsbooks have decided to be one step ahead and they developed apps. Thanks to mobile betting apps, punters can bet on football with just a few taps on the screen. Not only that, but many sportsbook operators will provide them with special mobile bonuses.

These apps can be downloaded from Play Store or Apple Store, depending on whether you use an Android or iOS device. One of the most common bonuses that they provide players with is free bets uk. While these bonuses are available to all registered players, it is worth mentioning that they come with terms and conditions that must be fulfilled before you can claim them, so make sure you give them a read.

Now, let's take a look at the history of betting sponsorships in football.

Football Clubs With Sportsbook Sponsorships

It is interesting to mention that during the 20th century, sponsorships were actually not allowed. Kettering Town, who was Southern League side back in 1976, was fined £1,000 after they decided to put Kettering Tyres on their shirts. The problem went even deeper. During the 1980s, TV stations actually refused to air matches that involved sponsored teams.

The Premier League is the league that made betting sponsorships popular. But, the interesting fact is that the first sponsors of this type appeared in the 2002/03 season. The first club to be sponsored by a betting company was Fulham – the club partnered with Betfair and displayed their logo on their shirts.

Fulham's sponsorship deal opened many doors for numerous betting companies. Clubs were also more than open to diving into these partnerships due to the fact that these organizations sponsored millions of pounds to the clubs.

Ever since the 2016/2017 season in the Premier League, more than 10 clubs in the PL have displayed betting companies as the main sponsors. What's more interesting is that out of the total £349 million that was raised from sponsors in 2019/2020, almost £70 million came from betting and other gambling sponsors. So, it is safe to safe that the betting sponsorships are extremely profitable.

League Sponsorships

Sponsorships even went further. Not only did teams accepted them as main sponsors, but betting companies succeeded in sponsoring leagues and tournaments as well. For example, Sky Bet was the main sponsor of the EFL from 2013 to 2016. Not only that, but the league renegotiated the deal and they will be the league's sponsor until 2024.

Additionally, Littlewoods is also one of the major brands that supported football tournaments. This company sponsored the FA Community Shield in 1995 and 1997. They were also the main sponsors of the FA Cup from 1995 to 1998.

Conclusion

Ever since betting companies hit the market in 2002, they have become frequent sponsors to a lot of teams. Aston Villa (Dafabet), Fulham (Marathonbet and Betfair), Stoke City (Bet365), as well as Crystal Palace, Leeds, Newcastle, Wolverhampton, West Ham United, and Southampton are just a fraction of the clubs that were sponsored by betting companies at some point.

But, due to problem gambling in the UK, there has been a proposed ban on betting partnerships and the clubs and chairmen are very divided on this problem.