Why do betting companies partner with sports leagues?

Imagine a business trying to stand out in the sports betting industry that, according to Polaris Market Research, has already exceeded $98.67 billion. Think about the strategies it has to adopt just to distinguish itself from the rest. Considering how demanding modern consumers have become, standing out in such a crowded market may not be a walk in the park.

That’s why sports betting platforms adopt strategies such as partnerships with reputable leagues. As legal wagering continues to grow and mature across different markets, these strategic relationships are becoming a cornerstone of growth for many of these companies. And the deals are massive, both in financial terms and in how they shape the fan experience.

According to GlobeNewswire, sponsorship from gambling companies makes up nearly half of the total sponsorship revenue in some sports markets, clocking in at over $639 million across teams and federations in 2025 alone. But it’s more than just cash changing hands.

Behind every logo and sponsorship deal is a story about how entertainment and wagering have converged into a new business model where both sides believe they can win more together than apart. So, what is there about these partnerships that makes leagues and sportsbooks so eager to join forces?

Shared audiences and fan engagement

As a strategic bookmaker, you always want to present your brand where your audience lives. And as you may know, sports fans are some of the most passionate and engaged consumers in entertainment. They watch games obsessively, follow stats and socially interact around match results. This means you can take advantage of this already receptive audience to attract new bettors, as they are more likely to convert into returning customers.

Think about it: more than eight in ten people who bet have engaged with NFL games, says SponsorPulse. Given that fans are always looking for new ways to connect with their teams, it’s easy to see why most bettors actually watch games in the first place. And at a time when customer acquisition costs are increasing, such statistics help explain why sports betting platforms partner with leagues.

Similarly, fans who have placed wagers are far more likely to watch a game all the way through. If you’ve ever placed a bet, you know that even the fourth quarter of a blowout is always important. This emotional pull could lead to higher viewership ratings and stronger ad revenue for broadcasters.

Improving brand visibility and trust

Do you know that, according to WiserReview, half of customers are more likely to buy from brands they recognize? Well, this might not be very different for modern bettors. If a platform appears to be entirely unfamiliar, potential users may hesitate to engage with it. But picture a scenario where you walk into a stadium and see a banner for a sportsbook that’s officially affiliated with the league.

The platform could suddenly feel like part of the environment, and repeated exposure could build recognition over time. And once familiarity sets in, users, especially first-time ones, could easily gravitate towards the website. Beyond recognition, these partnerships could lead to greater visibility.

Consider the MLS Cup final in December 2025, for instance. According to Goal.com, the event welcomed about 4.6 million viewers globally across platforms. Partnering with such a league would therefore mean reaching over 4 million individuals in less than 2 hours, which could be very helpful for sports betting companies targeting global markets.

And when it comes to improving brand trust, these partnerships are also handy. Just recently, in 2024, betting companies lost approximately $2.3 billion to cyberattacks, indicating that scammers are becoming increasingly prevalent. And because of such statistics, risk-averse bettors prefer gambling on reputable sites. Thankfully, one way to build trust is to partner with an established team.

Of course, you don’t expect a team like Arsenal to collaborate with a shady bookmaker. By the time it announces the collaboration, it must have conducted in-depth scrutiny to verify the platform’s credibility. And when fans see the sportsbook’s logo displayed alongside their favorite team, it instantly signals legitimacy, making them far more likely to engage with the platform.

The partnerships also benefit teams

There are numerous benefits for leagues to reap from these partnerships, including financial support. Have you ever imagined how much it costs to maintain just one established team? Arsenal alone spent £665 million on operational costs for the financial year ending May 31, 2024. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain emerged as the European soccer club with the highest total staff costs in the 2023/24 cycle, spending about €668 million on personnel expenses.

Well, meeting all these needs efficiently requires consistent, substantial funding, which a partnership with sports betting companies can provide. These collaborations inject capital directly into clubs and leagues, allowing them to focus on growth without constantly worrying about financial shortfalls.

Considering all these benefits, it makes sense for sports betting sites to actually partner with clubs. The wagering industry, as you’ve seen, has become extremely competitive. If a platform has to stand out, it must find lucrative ways of reaching potential customers.

And since sports fans are among the most diverse and loyal supporters, partnering with clubs can help sportsbooks cut through the noise more quickly. Perhaps the exciting part is that many of these clubs are usually open to partnerships because of the financial support they receive.