UK Online Sportsbook Betfair to Sponsor World Snooker Masters

UK online sports betting company Betfair announced it is going to sponsor the World Snooker Masters.

The online bookie added the top UK event to their already extensive snooker sponsorship portfolio. The event will officially be named the “Betfair Masters” following the sponsorship agreement. At present, British gambling laws allow gaming firms to sponsor sports events and sports teams, although some experts fear this might change in the future.

The new agreement is an extension to the Betfair and World Snooker partnership. The UK online casino company is already the title sponsor of the Shoot-Out and the German Masters, as well as the main tour sponsor of the European Tour.

The Betfair Masters will be held in London from January 13 to 20, 2013. The highly televised event will feature the 16 top international snooker players. The tournament will be broadcast live on BBC and will reach an estimated global audience of 181 million viewers.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn commented: “It’s a great pleasure to welcome Betfair on board for our biggest and best invitation event.”

Hearn added: “We are already working with them on a range of tournaments so we know what a professional team they are and how much they value the outstanding global exposure they get from snooker.”

Andy Lulham, Betfair’s Head of UK Sports Brand Marketing commented the deal: “It’s exciting to be involved in one of the most prestigious invitation events and it’s a great way to enhance our brand’s position in the sport.”