Golf’s DP World Tour has expanded its presence in the sports betting market after securing a two-year agreement for SBK, the sportsbook app of wagering firm Smarkets, to become its official betting operator in the UK and Ireland.
As part of the agreement, SBK becomes the presenting partner of the ‘odds page’ for each tournament on the DP World Tour website, with the app gaining further integration in the DP World Tour fantasy game.
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SBK will also become an official partner to three tournaments on the 2026 DP World Tour schedule – the Scottish Open, the British Masters, and the Irish Open.
Max Hamilton, executive commercial director of the DP World Tour, said: “We’re delighted to welcome SBK to our partnership community. Their reputation as a responsible betting brand with a passion for sport makes them an ideal betting partner.
“Together, we will provide fans in the UK and Ireland with additional ways to engage with the sport they love as golf’s global Tour travels around the world each season.”
The deal adds to Smarket’s growing profile within international sports, having secured a deal with international racing series SailGP last week to become its official sports trading partner until 2028.
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By GlobalDataThe DP World Tour, meanwhile, has been ramping up its commercial activity in recent months, anchored by its decade-long renewal of its title sponsorship deal with global logistics heavyweight DP World until 2035.
Since then, secured other major partnership deal, including a renewal with luxury Swiss watch maker Rolex, a new agreement with brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) that makes its Michelob Ultra brand the competition’s first official beer sponsor.
Amazon Web Services, the e-commerce giant’s major internet services business, also announced as the tour’s official cloud provider at the end of last year, while the partnership with cybersecurity firm Fortinet was also renewed.
The tour's sponsorship portfolio additionally features Emirates, BMW, Aldar, Buffalo Trace, Husqvarna, and Nexo.
The tour has also secured several rights agreements as it looks to consolidate its global broadcast output, most recently striking a three-year rights deal with Indian pay-TV broadcaster Sony Pictures Network covering Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Earlier this year, pay-TV heavyweight Sky New Zealand extended its exclusive broadcast rights to the tour until the end of the 2029 season, while the Golf Channel, the sport-specific US broadcast network owned by Versant, agreed a multi-year renewal.
It also struck a deal in Thailand with major telecoms firm Advanced Info Service (AIS) covering the 2026 season, while November saw the tour secure a major long-term extension with Sky in the UK through 2029.
Meanwhile, Technics, the audio brand of Japanese conglomerate Panasonic, has been named the official audio, headphones, and earbuds of US golf’s PGA Tour and its senior PGA Tour Champions competition.
The agreement, running through 2029, will see the launch of the Technic Sound Deck at select PGA Tour events, giving fans access to conversations between players and their caddies through an exclusive audio feed.
Technics will also showcase its products through demonstrations, exclusive giveaways, and player and fan partnerships throughout the season.
Dan Glod, the PGA Tour’s executive vice president of corporate partnerships, said: “The PGA Tour is excited to introduce the Technics Sound Deck to our fans at events across the tour season.
“Hearing more conversations between players and caddies was one of the top enhancements fans asked for when we launched the Fan Forward survey, and the Technics Sound Deck offers a great way to listen in to those one-on-one discussions as players strategize the hole ahead of them.”
The deal adds to Panasonic’s presence in golf, having become the official projector partner of the tech-focused TGL competition in December.
