Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has inked an exclusive partnership deal with cryptocurrency-based casino and sportsbook, Stake.com, which has become the top mixed martial arts (MMA) organization’s 'First Official Betting Partner'.
Announced on Sunday, the sponsorship deal will be limited to UFC events held in Latin America, excluding Brazil and Asia.
The deal between the two was kicked-in on March 3 for digital promotions of a fight held on March 6. Under the sponsorship deal, the two companies will collaborate to improve the UFC betting experience.
Additionally, Stake users will receive exclusive promotions, VIP experiences, and producing exclusive social and digital content.
Commenting on the sponsorship deal, Nick Smith, UFC Vice President of Global Partnerships, said: “We're thrilled to partner with an exciting and emerging platform like Stake.com to offer exclusive digital and social content to our fans, as well as an innovative gaming experience. UFC prides itself on being innovators, and Stake.com is a unique way for fans to experience the action and excitement of UFC.”
Cryptocurrencies and Fights
Launched in 2017, Stake supports gambling and betting with nine digital currencies: Bitcoin , Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Tron, EOS and Dogecoin. It claims that it has turned over $35 billion worth of bets since its launch.
Stake’s interest in MMA surfaced when it signed UFC Middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya as its first brand ambassador in January. Adesanya will also be in the middle of the company’s UFC promotional campaigns.
“All of us at Stake are massive UFC enthusiasts,” said Milan Jovancevic, Stake's PR Manager. “We're excited to partner with such a dominant brand to deliver a one-of-a-kind betting experience and accelerate our global expansion. We could not be more thrilled with all the unique possibilities this partnership unlocks for both Stake players and UFC fans.”
However, for UFC this is not its first crypto-oriented partnership. Earlier, Litecoin and many other Bitcoin brands sponsored specific fights, putting their logo on the Octagon ring.