A sponsor change is said to be set for what is thought to be one of Australia’s greatest races. Emirates, the Melbourne Cup’s previous sponsor, is now being taken over by Lottoland as the major sponsor for the race that has been held for 155 years.
On Thursday, the 20th, the ‘Herald Sun’ a Melbourne newspaper released the story. Although the deal is still in the pipelines, if it does materialise TAB, the current wagering partner will not be happy.
The Victorian Racing Company (VRC) has a partnership with the TAB. The TAB, however, is rumoured to soon be shaking hands with Tatts, a direct competitor of Lottoland, to seal the deal on a merger.
Lottoland the inside scoop
In 2013, Lottoland was founded, soon after it became popular for its system. What this system consists of is; it allows players to wager on the outcome of a variety of international and state lottery draws. The largest of these draws reared its head in January of 2016, to which a jackpot of $1.5 billion was being punted on by over 100, 000 Aussies.
It should be known however that players were not taking part in the draw, but in the result of the lottery.
What now?
The year of 2017 is a highly volatile one for the Melbourne Cup. What with their longstanding sponsorship deal with Emirates coming to an end, as well as the sponsorship of VRC Oaks by Crowns.
This is because the five-year deal for naming rights will also affect the $1 million VRC Oaks sponsorship.
If Lottoland were to land this deal, it would be the second high-profile sponsorship locked down this year. This is because Lottoland was able to agree on a sponsorship deal of $1 million for the naming rights of the NRL club Manly’s home ground, which not holds the name, Lottoland.