SportPesa is a globally recognised brand that specialises in growing engagement in popular sports. It has operations in the UK, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Ireland and the Isle of Man, offering sports betting and sports news technology.
The company also involves itself in the development of local sports tournaments and leagues in Tanzania and Kenya and has signed agreements to forge partnerships across multiple sporting disciplines, including rugby, soccer, golf, motorsport, athletics and kabaddi, on both a local and international basis.
Guerassim Nikolov is the Group Chief Executive Officer of SportPesa and founded the organisation in 2014.
Company Founding
The SportPesa brand was initially founded in Kenya, tapping into one of the 21st century’s most rapidly developing and innovative economies. The name SportPesa combines the English language ‘sport’ with ‘pesa’, a Kishwalli word that loosely translates as ‘money’ and traces its roots in the Sanskrit word for ‘wealth and riches’.
Since the beginning, SportPesa has been characterised by rapid adoption of new technologies and has been able to penetrate mobile networks to deliver services that enhance the quality of life for many people.
SportPesa works in partnership with a variety of other organisations to deliver local expertise to a global service. These include partnerships with RCS Media in Italy and TGP Europe Limited in the UK. Pevans East Africa initially owned SportPesa in Kenya, with international shareholders hailing from the United States, Europe and Africa.
Tournament Sponsorship
Part of the offering of SportPesa is tournament sponsorship, promoting sporting activity and engagement in the countries it operates in. Examples include supporting the Super 8 Tournament in Kenya – run by Extreme Sports Limited – which attracts more than 100 grassroots teams participating from all over Nairobi, and the Koth Biro Football Tournament. Several Super 8 players have gone on to be signed by some of Kenya’s most top-flight teams.
Other Sponsorship
Outside of tournaments. SportPesa provides sponsorship to a variety of sporting clubs and teams in Kenya. SportPesa is a shirt sponsor of three Kenyan rugby clubs, including second division side Nakuru All Stars and two of the most decorated clubs in the country, the AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia.
In football, the company is a key sponsor of both the men’s and women’s national teams, the Harambee Stars and Harambee Starlets respectively. Through this sponsorship and the work of SportPesa, the Kenyan national teams have been linked with several prominent English Premier League teams including Hull City, Southampton and Arsenal. These links facilitate engagements and joint training programmes between players, coaches and the clubs’ management.
Sports Betting
SportPesa offers a comprehensive range of sportsbook betting facilities through its website. Additional features and promotions include ACCA Boost, Cash Out, Price Blast, Lucky Bonuses and Add2Bet, which allows customers to change their betting selections at any time. Over 30,000 live betting events are included each month covering more than 2,0000 betting markets, with minimum bets starting at just five pence. Customers also have access to a range of casino games including slots.
Guerassim Nikolov is an experienced entrepreneur with a proven history in the sports and gambling industries.
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