The Carioca Championship 2024, the second most important state football tournament in Brazil, is set to kick off this Wednesday (17), with BetSpeed sponsoring half of the participating teams. This growing trend of sponsorships by betting houses has become a striking feature of the season, with 11 out of 12 clubs securing significant support from brands in the betting sector.
Among the state's major clubs, each has secured significant sponsorship deals with bookmakers. Flamengo has partnered with Pixbet as its new main sponsor, a contract valued at R$85 million per year. Vasco has signed with EstrelaBet, which will contribute R$45 million annually as its main sponsor.
Fluminense, recently crowned Libertadores champion, will continue its relationship with Betano, while Botafogo, seeking recovery after a challenging season in the Brasileirão, will maintain Parimatch as its leading sponsor.
In addition to the big four, BetSpeed made a significant impact by securing sponsorship deals with six other clubs: Audax, Boavista, Madureira, Portuguesa, Sampaio Corrêa, and Volta Redonda. Among these, Madureira has secured BetSpeed as its master sponsor.
Furthermore, BetSpeed strengthened its presence in the state by hiring former player Túlio Maravilha, a Botafogo legend, and Joel Santana, a former coach with experience at all four major Rio clubs, as brand ambassadors.
Wrapping up the list of teams sponsored by betting houses, Bangu renewed its partnership with Bet7k until 2025. This sponsorship was already visible during the São Paulo Junior Football Cup, where Bet7k occupied the main position on the team's shirts.
The only exception in this wave of bookmaker sponsorships is Nova Iguaçu, which remains the only team in the competition without a betting company as a sponsor. According to its official website, the club currently has six official sponsors, none of which are associated with the betting industry.
