UFC Taps Crypto Bookmaker Stake.com for LatAm Expansion

Leading mixed martial arts promotion company, Ultimate Fighting Championship has signed a partnership with Stake.com, a Latin American crypto-only casino. The partnership would see crypto users make bets on UFC’s fighters and events.

UFC in Latin America

The partnership, which was announced on March 7, is in line with UFC’s expansion plans in Latin America. The sponsorship deal would be limited to UFC events held in Asia and Latin America, excluding Brazil. 

Stake is a crypto-only casino and sports betting platform licensed in the Caribbean island nation of Curacao. The platform supports gambling and betting with nine digital currencies. They include the usual suspects: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Tron, and others.

Before this deal, the UFC has nicked several past projects to grow its audience in Latin America.

The company’s efforts range from starting the “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” show, which paved the way for many Hispanic fighters to make their entry into the sector. Also, the UFC created a developmental program that helped Latin American fighters train and grow into the big leagues.

UFC and Stake started working on the sponsorship deal on March 3, 2021. It started with Staks customers receiving access to exclusive digital and social content surrounding the promotions of a fight that was held on March 6, 2021. 

UFC’s exclusive partnership with Stake, will see both companies join hand to improve the UFC betting experience. This strategy would come in the form of several product rollouts and services targeted at Latin American customers.

Stake users will also receive exclusive promotions, VIP experiences, and exclusive social and digital content.

Speaking on the latest development, UFC’s vice president of global partnerships, Nick Smith, shared his excitement on the new partnership deal as he stated that while UFC prides itself on being innovators, Stake.com is a unique way for fans to experience the action and excitement of UFC and the gaming experience.

Fights And Cryptocurrencies

Since it launched in 2017, Stake has enjoyed a rise in the crypto betting market. The platform claims to have turned over $35 billion worth of bets.

It is safe to say Stake’s interest in mixed martial arts came even before the UFC sponsorship deal. The sportsbook had signed UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in January as the company’s first brand ambassador.