Betfair New RTE Sport Horse Racing Sponsor

Betfair, the leading Gibraltar-based online sports betting exchange, has announced it has signed a six-month cross-platform sponsorship deal with Irish broadcaster RTE Sport, that will see it become its new horse racing sponsor.

As part of the multi-channel sponsorship deal, Betfair will now automatically be linked to all horse racing on RTE Sport broadcast either on RTE Radio 1, RTE Television or published online on TE.ie, the broadcaster's official website.

The Betfair horse racing sponsorship will also extend to a few major Irish horse racing events RTE Sport covers at top racing venues in Ireland, including Leopardstown (the Christmas Festival), Galway and Punchestown.

In addition, Betfair will have a sponsorship presence in such prestigious Irish horses races in 2012 as the Irish Grand National, the Hennessy Gold Cup, the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes as well as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

RTE Television currently broadcasts 23 days of live Irish horse racing a year, which is also available via live-streaming to registered RTE.ie customers in Ireland. The broadcaster also covers a few major race meetings in the UK including the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot and the Grand National.

Betfair to Work Closely with RTE Sport

Said Betfair spokesperson, Barry Orr, 'Betfair is delighted to join forces with RTE Sport in sponsoring its cross-media racing coverage. As long-time supporters of Irish racing, it is important for us that this key investment will also help secure the ongoing coverage of the sport across RTE. We look forward to working with RTE to bring comprehensive racing coverage to its audience, racing fans and punters alike.'

Also pleased with the RTE Sport and Betfair sponsorship deal is RTE Sport cross media manager, Dermot Rigley, who said that the multi-platform sponsorship is 'RTE's unique offering to the market.'

'Irish horse racing remains on terrestrial free-to-air TV and Betfair has secured a powerful association with Irish racing across all of RTE's market-leading platforms - RTE Television, RTE Radio and RTE.ie,' he said. 'This partnership is a great endorsement of RTE Sport's output and audience reach, and we're delighted to welcome Betfair on board.'