Betting Sponsorships in the UFC: What Do They Mean for MMA?

UFC is no longer cast in the shadows. Mainstream audiences understand the primary rules of mixed martial arts and can at least name one or two of the main fighters. As such, new markets have emerged for bettors and companies offering sports betting. What does it mean for the sport with UFC betting sites like DraftKings becoming more evident on UFC broadcasts?

DraftKings is the Primary Sponsor

How could you not already know who DraftKings is? In 2021, the sports betting brand reached a massive deal with the UFC to be the primary betting partner for the US and Canadian markets. Their branding is all over UFC broadcasts, with multiple advertisements for UFC markets printed on cage floor surfaces and other tangible areas.

DraftKings is launching aggressive marketing campaigns to grow not only its appeal but also the allure of UFC. These campaigns have seen it collaborate with sports stars who discuss the UFC betting markets. Jordynne Grace, a famous female professional wrestler, has publicly discussed her picks for UFC markets on social media to drum up interest in other markets, but they aren't alone, as UFC betting sites from offshoresportsbooks.com have also started to gain a share of the market.

Stake.com Becomes Betting Partner in 2024

Given the UFC's success, more brands are trying to work with MMA promotions to stimulate business, especially in the gambling industry, given how well DraftKings has performed and seamlessly integrated into the product.

Not wanting to miss out, Stake.com, another sports betting platform, announced its sponsorship and partnership with UFC in February 2024. One of the chief differences between this deal and the one with DraftKings is that Stake is not nearly as visible at UFC live events or broadcasts. However, online Stake and UFC communicate more frequently than a married couple (maybe that depends on how much you still like your spouse).

Irrespective, Stake and UFC consistently align their imagery so that UFC fans and Stake customers are fully aware of both brands' synergy. To further strengthen this strategic marketing partnership, Stake has onboarded some of the most popular fighters, like Alexa Grasso and Israel Adesanya, as brand ambassadors who have recorded media of themselves talking about the product to further promote the product.

MMA Betting Grows in the US

Betting and gambling in the United States will never be a straightforward topic. The debauchery of Las Vegas encourages the pastime, while multiple states in the country are ardently against the concept of gambling. However, many users turn to MMA, where sports betting is permitted. In 2023, a study of American sports bettors showed that MMA was the tenth most popular sport for wagering, with 8.2% of all sportsbook bets being placed on MMA. That puts it above boxing, volleyball and others that have a long lineage in American culture. The growth of mixed martial arts betting popularity suggests that it will soon overtake ice hockey and motorsports in annual wagers.

With the upcoming presidential election, it is difficult to tell how sports betting legislation will evolve in the US—especially given the autonomy that state governments like to maintain regarding what citizens can and can't do within their state boundaries. Donald Trump used to have an active interest in the casino and gambling industry. At the same time, Kamala Harris has tried to appeal to Fantasy Sports fans to capture more support from this industry.

Fight-Fixing Concerns Grown as Betting Appeal Surges

As betting on UFC events becomes more popular, many parties are concerned about the fights' legitimacy. Introducing more significant stakes and much more money on the line has allowed involved parties to make large sums of money by fixing fights. People like James Krause and Tae Hyun Bang have been accused of using their positions in the sport as trainers and fighters to corrupt the fight results for financial gain. These are the two highest-profile suspects, with many more being investigated confidentially by the UFC and Dana White.

UFC Leads the Way as PFL and Others Follow Suit

The Professional Fighters League is challenging the UFC for supremacy over the MMA world. However, it still has some catching up to do in terms of business acumen. First, it struggles to find a consistent sponsor, having chopped and changed its primary betting sponsor a few times since its inception. Bedroom, Unibet, and DAZN Bet have all been named as chief gambling sponsors at one time.

To truly compete on a business stance, the PFL must find their DraftKings sponsor as a mainstay and frequent collaborator.