Watford FC has expanded its portfolio of commercial partnerships by signing social betting platform Stakemate as its official back-of-shirt partner for the 2026/27 season.
The deal marks the second betting partnership Watford has secured recently, with the club having already signed an agreement with Spreadex ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Stakemate’s branding will sit horizontally beneath the squad number at the base of match-worn shirts, joining what Watford described as a “diverse stable of club partners.”
The social sportsbook launched in the UK in 2022 and holds a UK Gambling Commission licence, positioning itself around group betting features, shared accumulators, and in-app chat between friends.
Beyond branding, Stakemate has committed to delivering a range of fan initiatives through the partnership, alongside a specific focus on supporting community projects connected to the club.
Watford FC Commercial Director Ben Newlyn said: “We have undertaken a thorough process in selecting this partner and believe its positioning within our inventory to represent an alignment with our goals.”
Newlyn added: “Stakemate are a responsible gambling partner, operating to the highest standards of safer practice, and offer a strong commercial prospect for the club.”
Stakemate Chief Executive Officer Arya Tayebi also expressed enthusiasm for the arrangement, saying: “We’re very excited to support a club with such a proud history, a devoted fanbase and a renowned community focus.”
Tayebi continued: “We’re looking forward to working in partnership with the club to give back to supporters.”
The announcement comes just a season after Watford moved away from gambling in their front-of-shirt sponsorship, replacing online casino MrQ with heating and energy firm BOXT for 2026/27.
MrQ had served as the club’s principal shirt sponsor for three consecutive seasons before the club stated its intention to “actively explore” a non-gambling lead sponsor going forward.
The Stakemate arrangement follows a broader trend of UK-focused bookmakers pursuing sponsorship deals with EFL Championship clubs, with recently-promoted Cardiff City holding a comparable back-of-shirt deal with Wales-focused bookmaker DragonBet.
The commercial logic behind targeting Championship clubs is clear, with over 12 million fans attending EFL league games last season and Sky broadcasting 328 games across the 2026/27 season.
