In the United Kingdom, the online casino and sportsbetting operator 188Bet has signed a deal with Durham County Cricket Club that will see it serve as the historic northern side’s official betting partner.
One of the 18 professional cricket teams that compete in England and Wales, Durham County Cricket Club plays its matches at the 15,000-seat Riverside Ground in Chester-Le-Street, County Durham. The team has won the domestic title on three occasions including as recently as 2013.
“We are pleased to be announcing our betting partnership with Durham County Cricket Club,” read a statement from Nigel Singer, Managing Director for 188Bet. “188Bet is committed to working with Durham [County Cricket Club] to make this partnership a success for both brands. The new partnership will allow 188Bet to reach a growing cricket fan base and we sincerely wish Durham [County Cricket Club] the very best for the rest of this season.”
Although it finished the last year’s eight-team top-flight season in fourth spot, Durham County Cricket Club was relegated to first-class cricket’s second tier in October. The team was docked 48 points after declaring unprecedented debts of almost $10 million. But, the side has since named former iconic England cricket star Ian Botham as its Chairman and agreed a bailout deal that has seen its arrears to Durham County Council converted into shares, which has transformed the side into a community-interest enterprise.
“We’re delighted to welcome 188Bet into the club and looking forward to working with one of the most user-friendly names in the betting market,” read a statement from Tom Seymour, Sales Director for Durham County Cricket Club. “I am sure that Durham [County Cricket Club] and cricket fans in general will be able to benefit from the new partnership.”