Greg Knight, the managing director of JenningsBet, has admitted that the sportsbook operator is “bucking the trend” by supporting the most famous race meeting of the Newcastle, Northumberland Plate on June 24th and 25th, 2022.
Recently, a large number of bookmakers, such as William Hill, which previously backed the Newcastle staying prize of £150,000, have been reducing levels of race sponsorship. This year, JenningsBet has managed to take its place in 2022 – an opportunity that was welcomed by Mr Knight, who noted that it had been difficult for his company to get such a high-level opportunity in the past. The sportsbook operator’s managing director also highlighted the fact that big showpiece events are usually involved with long-term sponsorship contracts, so everyone at JenningsBet had been extremely happy when such a chance popped up.
Mr Knight further noted that the Pitmen’s Derby was a major event in the country’s racing calendar and he was very glad that his company was able to associate its name with it.
As reported by the brand’s managing director, JenningsBet is also “bucking the trend” of sports betting operators trying to shift their focus on online operations. He explained that the company’s Northumberland Plate sponsorship agreement coincides with a deal to expand the operator’s overall number of high-street betting shops to 107.
Sportsbook Service Operator Willing to Expand North of the Midlands
JenningsBet, a sports betting service provider currently has sponsorship agreements in greyhound racing and darts. The company’s managing director, however, is convinced that horse racing has a great value to his business, which also supported a card at Wincanton in February this year, as well as the Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket.
Mr Knight shared that, in his opinion, horse racing is still the number one sport in the company’s high-street betting shops across the country, so the sportsbook operator was aimed at taking advantage of the niche and expanding its area of operation and customer base.
As the company’s managing director shared, JenningsBet is very well known in the south of England but customers in the north do not know the brand so well. Also, according to data provided by Greg Knight, JenningsBet is the largest independent sportsbook company but, for the time being, 70% of its betting shops are situated in London. He noted that backing the Northumberland Plate would help the brand expand its presence north of the Midlands, where customers are not that much aware of the operator’s services.
Apart from that, the online business of the brand helps JenningsBet get into places where the company had so far failed to reach. According to Mr Knight, TV coverage is extremely important because the brand could get to about 1.1 million people, which makes this advertising channel very hard to beat. The Epping-based gambling operator is aimed at establishing its presence with a long-term portfolio and a more stable relationship with racing. JenningsBet’s initial sponsorship deal includes the opportunity of supporting the Northumberland Plate for 2 more years.
- Author
Olivia Cole
