SailGP Teams with DraftKings and Bet365 to Launch Race Betting

SailGP Teams with DraftKings and Bet365 to Launch Race Betting

bet365 internationally, fans can now place wagers on race outcomes, starting June 7–8.

Betting Adds Excitement to High-Speed Races

The league is offering betting markets on individual race winners, finalists, event champions, and the season title. SailGP officials hope the move turns casual spectators into engaged fans.

“It’s a sport that’s naturally built for sports betting and gaming onsite in person at the events,” said Ben Johnson, SailGP’s chief revenue officer. “It’s communal; it’s high speed; there are lots of different winners, event-to-event.”

Twelve international coed teams race identical 50-foot catamarans that can hit speeds over 60 mph. Courses are set near the shoreline for optimal viewing, both in-person and on broadcasts. Johnson believes the unpredictable nature of each event lends itself well to wagering. “You can have an odds favorite, but at the end of the day, it really depends which team is sailing most competitively that weekend in that venue,” he said.

The league collects 270,000 data points per second during races, which are processed alongside historical performance metrics to generate live betting odds for sportsbooks.

SailGP Rides Momentum from Record Growth

Co-founded in 2018 by Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts, SailGP has seen rapid expansion. In January 2025, the New Zealand Grand Prix drew over 25,000 attendees—a record for the series. A month later, the Australia event attracted a global broadcast audience of 21.1 million.

In the U.S., SailGP gained significant exposure when CBS aired the Spain Sail Grand Prix after an NFL game in October 2023. That race drew 1.78 million viewers—the largest U.S. TV audience for a sailing event in 30 years. The league plans to use similar scheduling tactics again this year.

“Our two biggest broadcast windows are coming up in the third quarter,” said Johnson. “They’ll be again after NFL games, which we think is the most fun opportunity to highlight SailGP to a national audience at scale.”

The league is also gaining digital traction. Over the past year, SailGP videos generated 1.4 billion views across social platforms. Nearly half of its YouTube subscribers are aged 18–34, a notable shift for a sport historically favored by older, wealthier fans.

Investment and Sponsorships Fuel Expansion

Sponsorship revenue is also growing. Rolex recently ed as SailGP’s first title partner, alongside major team sponsors like Red Bull, Emirates, and Tommy Hilfiger. Team ownership has followed suit, with 10 of 12 franchises now privately owned. Valuations have soared past $50 million.

Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway is among the newest investors, ing a group that recently acquired the Red Bull Italy team. “It’s a really interesting consortium right now…that we think really help with that strategic lens of how do we go and grow this sport,” said Johnson.

Source:

“Come sail away – with your betting app? Now you can bet on sailing with DraftKings and bet365”, nj.com, Jun 3, 2025

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