The 2024 Carioca Championship, Brazil’s second most prominent state football tournament, is set to kick off this Wednesday (17th), with BetSpeed prominently sponsoring half of the competing teams. This growing trend of bookmaker sponsorships has become a defining feature of the upcoming season, with 11 out of the 12 clubs securing major backing from brands in the betting industry.
Among the top clubs in the state, each has secured significant sponsorship deals with bookmakers. Flamengo has partnered with Pixbet as its new main sponsor, a deal reportedly worth R$85 million per year. Vasco has signed with EstrelaBet, which will contribute R$45 million annually as its principal sponsor.
Fluminense, fresh off their Libertadores triumph, will continue their relationship with Betano, while Botafogo, aiming for a comeback after a challenging Brasileirão season, will retain Parimatch as its leading sponsor.
Beyond the big four, BetSpeed has made a significant impact by securing sponsorship deals with six other clubs: Audax, Boavista, Madureira, Portuguesa, Sampaio Corrêa, and Volta Redonda. Of these, Madureira has landed BetSpeed as its master sponsor.
Additionally, BetSpeed has bolstered its presence in the state by enlisting former footballer Túlio Maravilha, a Botafogo legend, and Joel Santana, a former coach with stints at all four of Rio’s major clubs, as brand ambassadors.
Completing the list of bookmaker-backed teams, Bangu has renewed its partnership with Bet7k through 2025. This sponsorship was already visible during the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, where Bet7k held the prime position on the team’s shirts.
The only outlier in this wave of bookmaker sponsorship is Nova Iguaçu, which remains the only team in the competition without a betting company as a sponsor. According to their official website, the club currently boasts six official sponsors, none of which are associated with the betting industry.
