The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is one of sport’s most prestigious tournaments. Europe’s elite club competition is one of the most-viewed tournaments in the world; with the final often attracting around 200 million viewers each year, over four times that of the Super Bowl.
With history written each year the Champions League brand is easily recognisable and widely lauded. But this year’s competition is different.
This season has seen the adoption of a new structure, with a singular league table replacing the eight, four-teamed groups. This means more games, more opportunities for fans to watch the world’s best players, and more visibility for sponsors.
Another key change of this year’s Champions League is the introduction of its first ever sports betting partnership. UEFA has partnered with bet365 which becomes the competition’s first official sports betting partnership.
Ben Reeves, bet365’s Global Deputy Head of Brand Marketing, tells SBC News that the partnership is significant for the operator as it gets the brand visible alongside the Champions League on a global scale.
“bet365 has a long and successful football heritage and this prestigious partnership perfectly reflects our brand platform, showcasing why it’s Never Ordinary at bet365,” Reeves explains. “The three year partnership gives us the ability to reach new audiences globally with immersive activations which includes the Big Ticket Giveaway, a free-to-enter ballot to give away thousands of tickets in select countries.”
Further, the company released its newest ad campaign “Breaking News”, to coincide with the new deal.
Reeves elaborates: “Our new creative campaign, ‘Breaking News’, is the next installment of our highly successful brand platform Never Ordinary, and has expanded our marketing vision, including UEFA Champions League branding within our website, app, social media platforms and across our television adverts.
“Our historic three year global partnership with the UEFA Champions League covers sponsorship of the men’s competition, with brand exposure on in-game perimeter LED boards, media backdrops and UEFA Champions League digital channels.”
Another key aspect of the bet365 and Champions League deal has been the mass ticket giveaway that the operator has embarked on. In a bid to create better bonds and provide greater engagement and experiences to its players, the operator has given away thousands of free tickets to fans across the continent for the league phase.
With more high profile fixtures taking place in the league phase than in the previous iteration, such as Arsenal vs PSG, Manchester City vs Inter and Milan vs Liverpool taking place in the first two match weeks, fans can get new experiences of these games via bet365.
“This giveaway reflects our commitment to giving fans ‘Never Ordinary’ experiences, and confirming that bet365 will make the extraordinary spectacle of the UEFA Champions League an even more extraordinary experience for fans,” notes Reeves.
Meanwhile, Guy-Laurent Epstein, Director of Marketing at UEFA, adds: “As one of the leading online sports betting brands, with over 100 million customers, bet365 is dedicated to enhancing the excitement of sport while promoting responsible sports betting practices. We look forward to a successful partnership that not only elevates the experience for our fans but also supports efforts to protect the integrity of the sport.”
The new Champions League format was met with some confusion when initially announced, but now fans and pundits alike have had the opportunity to view how it can change the game dynamics, there has been widespread positive feedback.
As UEFA ushers in this new era for its premier competition, bet365 is also part of this new future.
“There is a reason why the UEFA Champions League is one of the world’s most popular and successful club competitions – it never stands still,” asserts Reeves. “And we at bet365 are joining at one of the most exciting moments in recent history, following the unveiling of the 2024/25 format.
“Despite the new format, it is some of the traditional favorites who have been best backed by bet365 customers ahead throughout the competition thus far.”
Ahead of Match Day Three, the highlights of which include a repeat of last season’s final as Borussia Dortmund visit Real Madrid and a heavyweight clash between Barcelona and Bayern Munich, bet365 is backing the reigning Champions to win a record 16th European title, despite a rocky start.
As Steve Freeth, the firm’s trading specialist, explains: “Real Madrid gave us our worst result of the tournament when scoring two late goals against Stuttgart on Match Day 1 and our best result when surprisingly getting turned over by Lille on Match Day 2 and they’re still the most popular wager in our Outright book as we head into the next round of matches.”
Of the Outright bets market, Real Madrid have 47% of the market, while Manchester City has 13%, Barcelona has 8%, Bayern Munich has 7% and Arsenal rounds off the top five most backed sides with 5% of the market.
Meanwhile, the top scorers and assists markets prove to be popular amongst punters, with heavy hitters such as Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Vinicius Jr heavily backed.
Freeth adds: “Over a third of Top Goalscorer bets have been on Harry Kane, and those that took the 7/1 about the Englishman before the four-goal haul against Dinamo Zagreb will be delighted to see the Bayern Munich marksman currently trading as a warm 6/4 favorite.
“Lamine Yamal and Vinicius Jr are yet to record an assist in the Champions League despite managing 9 between them in La Liga, and their hordes of backers will be crossing their fingers for a return on Match Day Three in what is still a wide open betting heat.”
As the Champions League continues to excite fans across Europe this season, bet365 will continue to capitalize on its partnership with the tournament to engage with fans and offer new experiences.
As Reeves concludes: “Our global partnership provides bet365 with a unique opportunity, and one we’ll be looking to activate throughout the season.
“We will be offering fans the ultimate opportunity to experience the stadium atmosphere on UEFA Champions League nights during the group phase and knockout stages, and fans should stay tuned to bet365’s social media pages for upcoming content, announcements, and more chances to win.”
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