bet365 will continue to be the official sportsbook for the UFC in U.K. and Ireland for another year with plans for legal sports betting enhancements and expansion.
The global sportsbook announced the renewed deal with the world’s top mixed martial arts league on Monday, just days before UFC 290, which will feature the new “Bet Builder.”
The technology is designed to give UFC bettors the ability to create a single wager through multiple markets for the same fight.
It will be live on Saturday for a stacked lineup of UFC bouts. IMG Arena, which provides technology and data for the UFC, will give bet365 customers live data feeds and live video of bouts to enhance UFC betting.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with UFC for a third consecutive year,’’ bet365 released in a statement. ‘’2023 will be our biggest and most exciting year yet for our customers, with the launch of two new enhancements to our UFC betting experience.”
bet365 will also continue giving YouTube viewers the “One on One” channel.
Under this renewal, bet365 will begin adding UFC betting options across other European countries, including Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.
“bet365 has been such a great partner over the years,” UFC VP of Global Partnerships Nicholas Smith said. “Not only are they invested in growing the sport of MMA by creating bespoke and educational content, but they share UFC’s vision of innovation and creativity to deliver fans and customers the best experience possible. We look forward to growing and expanding this partnership for years to come.”
UFC recently agreed to a similar partnership with online sports betting platform FL Entertainment to make Betclic the official UFC sportsbook in France, Poland, and Portugal.
‘Bet Builder’ in North America
North American bettors in several U.S. states and Canada can access bet365’s “Bet Builder” feature this weekend when Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez square off for the Featherweight Championship of the UFC 290 main event.
The online sports betting site is accessible in New Jersey, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, and Iowa, and went live with bet365 last month. It offers pre- and in-match wagers for UFC events.
While there are no other official agreements, bet365 is likely to continue expanding into new U.S. markets, and its expanded partnership with UFC could attract customers in other states if the sportsbook can gain approval.
