SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
It was announced last night that Betway has become the main sponsor of one of esports’ most established organisations Ninjas in Pyjamas, better known as NiP. 
This is the second partnership between a classic sportsbook operator and an esports team; Fnatic and Dafabet have had a partnership in place since October 2015.
The ‘high six figure’ deal will see the Betway logo brandished on NiP player shirts and the deal significantly also includes “content usage rights, onsite branding at the NiP gaming house and full player access”. There will also be interviews with Bjorn ‘THREAt’ Pers, coach of NiP, and gear giveaways.
Betway’s Anthony Werkman said: “Betway were very proud to be the first bookmaker to launch a bespoke eSports microsite last year. Since then, we have invested heavily in our team which is full of die-hard fans of the sport.
“As a company we seek to provide a first-class, premium service and look to partner with those who share the same ideals and values to be able to bring fans closer to the action. As sponsors of West Ham United of the Premier League in England, we constantly engage with supporters to give them insight into the club they wouldn’t get anywhere else.”
He concluded: “It’s with these ideals, values and mission in mind that we partnered with NiP.”
NiP has some history in esports. It first formed back in 2000 in Sweden, and after a hiatus in 2007, it came back in 2012. NiP currently has teams in CS:GO and Overwatch, and has previously had rosters in Dota 2 and League of Legends.
If you’ve heard about esports but want to know a little more about its origins, then check out this handy infographic below:
Hicham Chahine, CEO of Ninjas in Pyjamas, said of the new partnership: “We are thrilled with the opportunity to work closely with the leading eSports betting company and are certain the partnership will allow us to continue to grow our legacy to give our millions of fans around the world unforgettable experiences they will remember for a lifetime. #GONINJAS!”
