UK-based igaming operator Betfred has become the title sponsor for The Masters. This is the first time the company has sponsored one of the crowning snooker events as The Masters prepares to shift into gear next week. The competition will reunite 16 of the world’s best snooker players and allow them to compete for GBP 725,000.
Betfred Has Had a Keen Interest in Snooker for over a Decade
The event will be renamed after the sportsbook-focused operator, as it is its new title sponsor. The Betfred Masters will be held from January 10 through January 17 in Milton Keynes and will feature a field of 16 of the world’s finest players. Betfred’s present sponsorship arrangement is a continuation of similar deals made in the past, as the company has sponsored the World Championship since 2009. In 2020, Betfred also confirmed that it is extending its World Snooker Championship deal until 2022 as it seeks to continue supporting the sport. Its latest partnership with The Masters is another step forward in establishing a bigger footprint in snooker.
The Masters dates back to 1975 and it currently holds a prestigious place in the world of snooker. It is part of the Triple Crown of snooker tournaments, alongside the UK Championship and World Championship. The event gets extensive live coverage, with BBC, Eurosport, CCTV and Matchroom Live all covering the event. WST chairman Barry Heard has welcomed the partnership between Betfred and the organization. In his words:
“We are thrilled to join forces with Betfred for the Masters, one of the greatest events in sport. The tournament brings together the absolute cream of the crop, and I believe that the field this year is the strongest it has ever been.
We have worked extremely hard to keep our tour going and the importance of live sport cannot be underestimated in these troubled times. The Betfred Masters will be eight days of thrilling entertainment.”
The event starts on Sunday, January 10th and will feature numerous talented players.
The present field features Judd Trump versus David Gilbert and Kyren Wilson versus Jack Lisowski on Sunday. The event will continue on Monday with Stuart Bingham versus Trepchaiya Uh-Nooh and Shaun Murphy versus Mark Williams. On Tuesday, Neil Robertson goes up against Yan Bingtao and Mark Selby plays against Stephen Maguire. To wrap things up, the Masters will feature Ronnie O’Sullivan versus Ding Junhui and John Higgins versus Mark Allen.
Earlier, Betfred made a bid for the beleaguered South African operator Phumelela Gaming & Leisure, which is facing pressure from creditors, but its bid was declined. The company offered to pay around GBP 45 million to purchase the company’s entire portfolio of brands. Betfred was bidding against Oppenheimer, a rival company that also tried to purchase Phumelela’s assets last year.
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