SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
BetVictor has been announced as the primary sponsor of Newcastle’s much anticipated Fighting Fifth Hurdle – the first Grade 1 hurdle of the 2018-2019 national hunt season.
BetVictor’s sponsorship of this Saturday’s event, which follows the firm’s successful three-year sponsorship of the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham’s November meeting, further affirms the operator’s commitment to investing in key horse races as part of its marketing strategy to boost brand exposure.
Matt Scarrott, Director of Sportsbook at BetVictor, commented: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the Fighting Fifth Hurdle this Saturday. Horse racing is a key market for our sportsbook division and we strongly believe that the exposure we’ll get as part of this race will further enhance our brand recognition.”
The race has proved to be a key trial for Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle over the years and we’re looking forward to seeing last year’s winner Buveur d’Air, who went on to claim Festival Glory, competing in this year’s race – Buveur d’Air currently heads the market at 4/5,” added Scarrott.
Buveur D’Air is a planned runner in this year’s race and potentially faces three strong opponents: Samcro – who took the Ballymore Hurdle at the Festival last season; Summerville Boy – Supreme Hurdle winner; and Bedrock – who beat Samcro on his reappearance at Down Royal.
BetVictor also secured a racing sponsorship first at Stratford-upon-Avon racecourse this year, when it became the first ever gaming company to appear on an industry-first LED fence advertisement.
An animated graphic of the BetVictor logo appeared on the final fence on the home straight, offering the brand fantastic exposure and great advertising value. The growth potential for the technology is also promising, with the possibility of brands being able to advertise odds and special offers live on the boards in the near future.
