Sports and gambling have been two complementary industries since their inception. A whopping majority of sports fans enjoy placing wagers on their favorite teams and players. Rugby is not any different from other sports such as football, soccer, and basketball, which are notorious for sports betting.

This article looks at the symbiotic relationship between rugby and the gambling industry. Read on to find out more.

Rugby Sponsorships

Sports sponsorships are a big market, with some of the leading corporate brands writing huge checks to rugby teams, leagues, and players. Among these sponsors include renowned gambling brands.

When a gambling brand sponsors a Rugby team or player, it stands to benefit as much as the sponsored. The players and their teams receive the funding they need, while on the other hand, the gambling brands increase their publicity and brand awareness.

Obviously, rugby has a significantly huge fan base around the world, and its also known to attract an equally substantial audience in TV viewership and across social media platforms. Any gambling brand that signs a sponsorship deal with the rugby industry gets unlimited access to this audience.

To put it differently, Rugby sponsorships are proving to be an effective marketing strategy for the best Finnish online casinos, leading British sportsbooks and US-based fantasy betting providers.

Sports Betting

We have already established that there exists a strong tie between rugby and the gambling industry. Sports betting has been around for centuries. Rugby is an action-filled and thrilling sport.

Rugby fans often turn to sports betting to add to the thrill and excitement they receive from the sport. Before the advent of online sportsbooks, fans had to walk miles to visit a land-based sportsbook for wager placing.

Today, you can place sports wagers from the comfort of your home and right via your smartphone. With such convenience, more people have turned to sports betting. As a result, we have seen online bookies expand their sports market reach to offer more sports odds, including rugby odds.

As more people bet on rugby, the sport’s popularity continues to soar across the world. Those who have invested their hard-earned money in the sport via bet slips are already emotionally invested and would definitely want to watch the live matches. The ripple effect of that is that rugby TV viewership grows.

Rugby-Themed Slots

Slots happen to be one of the most popular casino games. One can either choose to play slots in a land-based casino establishment or an online equivalent. There are millions of casino slots for players to choose from.

What distinguishes each slot from the rest is its theme. Slots come with all sorts of themes, from music to movies, video games, sports, etc. Today, there are so many casino slots games themed around rugby.

Rugby-themed slots are an ideal way to encourage rugby fans to take part in the gambling aspect of the sport. As more players turn to rugby-themed slots, the sport’s popularity continues to soar.

Effective Marketing

It’s evident that the relationship between rugby and the gambling market is symbiotic. In this quid-pro-quo arrangement between the two industries, marketing opportunities present themselves.

Since both industries have significantly huge audiences, each can benefit by tapping into the other’s audience. In other words, those in the rugby space can market their products and services within the gambling space and vice versa.

Brand association through arrangements such as sponsorships is yet another effective marketing strategy that enhances brand awareness. The more rugby clubs and players associate themselves with popular gambling brands, their popularity increases.

Boosts TV Rights and Viewership

The media is in the business of making money. Before granting TV rights to sports organizations, they want to be certain that the deal will boost their viewership. How much more viewers will you bring us if we grant you TV rights?

Since we have already established that the gambling industry helps draw more fans to rugby through sports betting, then it goes without saying that the same will help secure TV rights from the fourth estate.

Again, rugby’s popularity is set to grow further as the sport gets aired across mainstream media outlets. More popularity means bigger viewership.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Bookmaker brands are often engaged in community projects aimed at bettering society’s quality of life. This way, the companies share a portion of their revenue with the communities in question.

There are numerous approaches that a gambling brand can take to achieve its CSR goals. One way is by giving back to the communities of the Rugby teams they sponsor. The benefits that come with sponsorships are clear. They often attract tax incentives from the government, among other benefits that we’ve already discussed.

We all know that gambling is an addictive endeavor. As such, gambling brands are tasked with the responsibility of creating awareness and encouraging responsible gambling practices.

The Future of Sports Betting

Sports betting is still a young industry, considering that the USA legalized it just a couple of years ago. With a regulated sports betting market, we are seeing more bookies join the young market. This means that competition is about to get stiff in the sports betting market.

To stay ahead of the competition and maintain a competitive edge, sportsbooks have to come up with more innovative solutions to keep their punters engaged. Fortunately, technology has made this possible.

Some of the technologies that support sports betting include live streaming, online sportsbooks, mobile-friendliness, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and big data.

Final Thoughts

The relationship between rugby and sports betting is pretty strong. The two industries are dependent on each other. Gambling brands need an active rugby market for profitable odds, and the rugby industry needs an active gambling market for fans’ engagement.

Rugby is still a young sport compared to sports such as baseball, football, soccer, and basketball. However, it is gradually growing in popularity, and the gambling industry plays a significant role in facilitating the growth.

If you happen to be a rugby fan, you should consider trying out sports gambling by placing wagers on your favorite teams and players. To get started, you will need to sign up with a reputable online sportsbook.