After spending time in limbo, South Africa’s top soccer division has finally gotten their season underway.
Betway has reached a new deal to become the new sponsor of the Premiership Soccer League. The new agreement allowed the league to open up play, avoiding a delay caused by an unexpected end to their previous sponsorship deal. The partnership represents a significant win for both sides.
The first Betway Premiership Soccer League matches have been played as scheduled.
Deal Ends Sponsorship Nightmare for League
The partnership with Betway is being celebrated by both the league and fans across South Africa. The season’s start was delayed after DStv, the league’s previous sponsor, terminated its contract a year early after running into financial troubles. That left the Premiership without a sponsor, leading to the start of the season being delayed.
While many expected Betway to take over the sponsorship, nothing was finalized when DStv terminated the contract, leaving the league in a sort of limbo.
The delay had fans worried about the season’s and league’s status, but the deal with Betway changes that. The Malta-based gambling giant is a leader in a thriving industry, providing the league with a far more stable sponsor while also bringing in a well-known brand name.
Betway Scores Win After US Failure
The new deal also marks a significant win for Betway and its owner, SuperGroup. The company suffered a significant loss over the summer when it announced that it would pull its Betway Sportsbook platform out of the US market. SuperGroup cited the high costs of operating in the competitive market when making their announcement, deciding to focus on markets like South Africa instead.
While Betways’ international presence remains strong, their deal with Premiership Soccer League should also boost their online casino in a very competitive iGaming market. While the numbers won’t make up for the brand’s failure in the US, it remains a major victory after a difficult summer.
Sundowns Enter Season as Betting Favorite
Unsurprisingly, the Mamelodi Sundowns again entered as the favorite to win the league. The club has won the league the previous seven years, making them one of the most impressive soccer dynasties in the world.
What is surprising is that the Sundowns’ success has come with two co-head coaches at the helm. The club took a unique approach to their staff in 2020, hiring former club assistant coaches Rhulani Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi to fill their vacant head coaching position. The unique approach seems to have worked, with the club continuing its winning ways under the duo.
One reason for the team’s success was the signing of sharpshooter Peter Shalulile out of the second-tier league. The 30-year-old joined the club back in 2020 and now has over 100 goals in the Premiership. That is a rare club, and it has made an already great Sundowns club even better.
Any online casino South Africa with a betting platform you check will have the Sundowns as heavy favorites to win their eighth title in the last nine seasons.