Betting houses are growing more and more on the national scene and in the main sports. At the beginning of 2023, revenue expectations for the sports betting sector were R$12 billion in Brazil, a number that already represents an increase of 71% compared to the R$7 billion billed in 2020.
During the year, new studies highlighted the growing economic relevance of the segment.
In April, the Federal Government estimated that sports betting generated R$3 billion for football, including sponsorship agreements and advertising on team shirts, championship signs and media spaces.
In December 2023, new figures indicated that the value was around R$3.5 billion.
Only in sponsorships for the 2023 Brazilian Series A teams, for example, the figures provided by the ‘bets’ were around R$330 million annually, in the sum of all 19 of the 20 clubs that had agreements with companies in the sector.
The commercial focus of companies on national football
In fact, football is one of the biggest entertainment sports in the world. With high visibility and audience, it attracts a lot of investor attention. The main sources of revenue for football clubs come from their sponsors’ contracts.
Companies from different sectors want to secure their space in club uniforms to guarantee valuable commercial opportunities.
The main betting companies operating in Brazil have made large investments in national football teams. In addition, they sponsor major sporting events and other sports as well.
The biggest sponsorships made by bookmakers to clubs in Brazil
Last Sunday (7), Corinthians signed the biggest master sponsorship among the clubs in Série A of the Brasileirão. Vaidebet will invest R$370 million in the São Paulo club over the next three seasons, R$120 million per year, in addition to R$10 million in gloves.
Flamengo, in turn, has the second largest sponsorship in Brazilian football. Pixbet recently closed the partnership offering R$85 million to the red-black coffers until 2025.
While Palmeiras has the third largest master sponsorship in the country. The alviverde team, despite not being sponsored by a betting company, has the support of Crefisa/FAM, which pays the club a fixed R$81 million for all the spaces on the uniform.
Therefore, the other first division clubs that are also sponsored by bookmakers are:
- São Paulo: Superbet, R$52 million
- Botafogo: Parimatch, R$27.5 million until 2024.
- Cruzeiro: Betfair, R$25 million until 2024.
- Vasco da Gama: Pixbet, R$22 million until 2024.
- Atlético-MG: Betano, R$20 million until 2024.
- Fluminense: Betano, R$20 million until 2025.
- Fortaleza: Novibet, R$19 million until 2024.
- Bahia: Esportes da Sorte, R$17 million until 2025.
- Athletico-PR: Esportes da Sorte, R$17 million until 2026.
- Vitória: Betsat, R$7 million until 2024.
- Santos: Despite not competing in Série A of the Brasileirão, the team has a contract with Blaze until the end of 2024 and receives R$22.5 million.
- Grêmio and Internacional, are sponsored by Banrisul (Bank of the State of Rio Grande do Sul S.A). Each team receives R$30 million.
It is worth noting that the numbers presented are only estimates, as companies do not publicly disclose the figures for their contracts.
