SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
New sports betting website Sun Bets believes that there is plenty of room for an operator that carries The Sun newspaper’s distinctive voice, and that it won’t simply be rubbing up against Paddy Power’s position in the market.
News UK’s Betting & Gaming Marketing Director Kate Bird explained that comparisons could be made between the two brands because of the use of humour, but suggested The Sun’s history gave it more weight in people’s minds.
She said: “Paddy’s brand values are to be mischievous, but that’s not where we sit. While tonally The Sun is very fun, there is still a real authority there as well because of the history of journalism at the paper.
“We’re not going to go into the market to try and compete with Paddy’s but tonally we are similar. Where we are definitely different from Paddy’s, and what Sky had with its powerhouse of broadcasting image, we are a powerhouse of publishing and the input of our editorial expertise will show a real difference.”
Sun Bets, which is powered by Australian gambling giant Tabcorp, is planning on integrating betting opportunities within The Sun’s content output on a scale rarely seen in the mainstream media. Members of the Sun Bets team will even be present in the daily editorial meetings at the newspaper to see where the new betting site can add some value to the content while simultaneously enjoying an enhanced profile with readers.
Director of Betting and Gaming at The Sun David Robinson said that a move into betting was the next natural step for the publisher: “Good content fuels the betting opportunity, whether its sports or entertainment/novelty. We think this is an opportunity that has been waiting to happen for a number of years.
“The newspaper has a readership of approximately 10m, a huge digital reach on platform with The Sun’s websites attracting 42m uniques in the past month and off platform there is a massive reach on the paper’s social media channels.
“What we’ve got is the bedrock something strong in terms of where The Sun has come from, relevant content, and a sizeable audience that in many ways have probably been waiting for something like this to happen for a long time. The final part of the jigsaw is partnering with someone who we believe is right for us as they are as excited as making an impact in this market as we are.”
Perhaps understandably, Sun Bets believes it can make a real dent in the novelty betting market given the newspaper’s comprehensive ‘celebrity’ coverage and plans to offer readers a range of celebrity and reality TV markets as extensive as that offered elsewhere.
Tom Ustunel, Product and Partnership Director at News UK, commented: “I think our customer will be more a frequent punter but with slightly smaller stakes. Even our welcome offer was geared to that where you pay £5 and get £10.”
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Those wanting to know more about Sun Bets should buy a ticket for SBC’s Betting on Sports Conference on 15-16 September where a senior executive at the new bookmaker will be sharing more about the brand’s vision for the long term in the session: ‘New Faces – the ambitions of the latest sportsbook brands’
