Watford FC has expanded its commercial portfolio with a new back-of-shirt sponsorship agreement with sportsbook operator Stakemate, giving the brand its first major marketing presence in English professional football.
The agreement makes Stakemate another betting partner of the Championship club alongside Spreadex, which already operates as an official Watford partner. Stakemate branding will feature on the back of Watford shirts as the operator looks to increase its visibility among UK football audiences.
Stakemate focuses heavily on the social side of sports betting. Its platform allows customers to place wagers, build and share accumulators and interact with friends through betting groups. The company also offers markets beyond football, including racing, tennis, cricket, darts and basketball.
The sportsbook is operated in Great Britain by Bet Theory (Malta) Limited. The UK Gambling Commission lists Stakemate as an active trading name of the company, which holds remote licences covering real-event betting, casino, bingo and gambling software. Those licences have been active since 2 May 2025.
Stakemate CEO Arya Tayebi said the company was pleased to support a club with Watford’s history, fanbase and community presence, while indicating that the partnership would also include initiatives aimed at supporters.
Watford Commercial Director Ben Newlyn said the club carried out a detailed selection process before choosing Stakemate and viewed the operator as both a commercially attractive partner and one aligned with safer gambling standards.
The agreement continues a broader trend of betting operators securing sponsorship inventory across the Championship. Cardiff City, for example, has a back-of-shirt arrangement with DragonBet, while football remains an important acquisition channel for UK-facing bookmakers because of the league’s large matchday audiences and extensive broadcast coverage.
For Stakemate, the Watford deal represents a significant step in building its brand through English football and expanding awareness of its socially focused betting product.