GAMBLING INSIDER

UK sports betting operator Betway has signed a three year contract extension to its existing sponsorship of snooker’s UK Championship for a period up to and including 2020.

Considered as snooker’s second biggest ranking event, after the World Championship, and part of snooker’s Triple Crown, the 2017 Betway UK Championship is currently taking place at the York Barbican. Betway first agreed a deal to sponsor the £850,000 event in 2015.

The Betway UK Championship sits alongside a number of sporting sponsorships for the online bookmaker which has been the principle sponsor of Premier League football club West Ham United since 2015, as well as the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, one of the four championship races at the Cheltenham Festival, and is also the official betting partner of the Grand National Festival at Aintree.

In a statement announcing the contract extension, Betway CEO Anthony Werkman, said: “The Betway UK Championship is a fantastic event to be involved with and we’re really happy to be extending our partnership for a further three years.

“Continuing our sponsorship in snooker, and particularly with a top level event like the Betway UK Championship, is really important as we look to build on the strong growth we have achieved in recent years.”

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn, added: “We are delighted to welcome Betway on board for at least another three years, especially as they are such a fantastic team to work with.

“This year we celebrate 40 years of the UK Championship and remember the iconic moments that this marvellous tournament has produced. Last year we saw an incredible final between Mark Selby and Ronnie O’Sullivan which proved the remarkable skill of the players at the top level.

“Now the players are writing a new chapter in the history of this event, and the eyes of the world are watching with a global television audience of over 400 million fans. The exposure for Betway’s brand both in the UK and overseas is exceptional. We look forward to working with them for many years to come.”