OLBG’s CEO Richard Moffat discusses their approach to partnerships, the value of giving fans greater access to the sports they love, and why the strongest relationships go beyond traditional sponsorship.
From sponsorship to participation
Partnerships play a key role in our ambition to grow OLBG from a trusted betting community into a broader sports entertainment brand.
Our core audience remains regular UK sports bettors, but the right partnerships enable us to offer them much more – from engaging content and expert insight to memorable, exclusive experiences that deepen their enjoyment of sport.
When assessing an opportunity, we look for a genuine fit with our audience, our values and our long-term vision. The strongest partnerships create meaningful value for our users while extending OLBG’s reach and strengthening the brand.
That philosophy has shaped relationships with Dorking Wanderers and Harry Derham Racing, alongside content initiatives such as The Jeff Stelling Show.
We are drawn to partners whose stories reflect our own – those built on hard work, an underdog spirit and a relentless drive for success. Our partnerships with Harry Derham Racing and Dorking Wanderers embody those qualities perfectly. Both are on exciting journeys, moving ever closer to achieving their ambitions, and we are proud to support them along the way. Crucially, these partnerships also give our users opportunities to follow those journeys, get closer to the action and become part of the story.
Our partnership with Jeff Stelling is another strong example. We worked with one of the most recognisable figures in Saturday afternoon football to create The Jeff Stelling Show, giving him a platform for his distinctive insight and personality. It has developed into a hugely successful partnership, generating millions of views across social media and YouTube.
Dorking Wanderers: telling the story
Dorking Wanderers provides a particularly strong example of the approach, with OLBG supporting the club’s ambition to reach the Football League while helping bring its story to a wider audience.
It’s a partnership built around a shared ambition: helping Dorking Wanderers reach League Two.
What first attracted us was the extraordinary story behind the club. Dorking began with a group of friends hiring a pitch and have since climbed through the non-league pyramid. If they reach the Football League, they will be the first club in English football history to complete that entire journey.
Our collaboration has always been about far more than putting the OLBG name on a shirt. Together, we have brought Dorking’s story to a wider audience and given OLBG users opportunities to follow the journey and get closer to the club. It could become one of football’s greatest underdog stories – we just want to help them write the final few chapters.
Storytelling is a huge part of it. The talented team at Bunch of Amateurs does an exceptional job of documenting Dorking Wanderers’ journey and bringing the personalities behind the club to life.
With Harry Derham Racing, we assembled a fantastic team to capture and share the story from the yard’s earliest days. Within both partnerships, there are also countless smaller stories – about the people, the challenges and the defining moments – which we work hard to bring to life.
That access is incredibly valuable because it allows audiences to form a genuine connection with our partners and become emotionally invested in their journeys.
Bringing fans closer to racing
The same philosophy has been applied to OLBG’s relationship with Harry Derham Racing, where the focus has extended beyond sponsorship into experiences designed to bring the community closer to the sport.
Football and horse racing are the two leading sports for UK bettors, so having a team to support in each has always made perfect sense for OLBG.
However, the fit goes much deeper than betting. Racing is full of compelling personalities and stories, and our partnership with Harry Derham Racing gives our community exceptional access to the people, horses and experiences at the heart of the sport. That combination of insight, entertainment and genuine involvement makes it a natural fit for our brand.
It is a partnership in every sense of the word. It goes far beyond supporting the yard financially in return for brand exposure – we have become genuinely involved in its journey and created a range of ways for people to get closer to racing and support the team.
These range from a free email newsletter and £95 shares in a racehorse to a racing club offering yard visits and race-day experiences. For those seeking greater involvement, there are also syndicate opportunities to purchase a 1–5% share in a horse. This season, we have five OLBG horses in training at the yard, giving people remarkable insight into racing and the opportunity to enjoy experiences – and pursue dreams – that might otherwise have felt out of reach.
The wider approach
The biggest lesson has been that the strongest partnerships invite people into the story rather than simply asking them to watch it. We have carried that approach, alongside our focus on storytelling, into our partnership with Dorking Wanderers. Supporters have already enjoyed behind-the-scenes access, presented trophies, stood on the pitch before matches and attended training sessions. Those are the experiences that turn awareness into a genuine connection.
We are currently developing a new show with the club’s founder, owner and manager, Marc White. It will build on what we have learned from the success of The Jeff Stelling Show while having its own distinctive format and personality. We believe it has the potential to become every bit as popular.
Ultimately, OLBG is looking to prioritise depth and authenticity rather than simply building the largest possible portfolio.
We want OLBG to be known for partnerships that go far beyond traditional sponsorship. Putting our name on a shirt or gaining brand exposure has value, but the real opportunity lies in compelling stories, meaningful access and experiences that allow our community to become genuinely involved.
Our priority is to deepen relationships where there is still more we can achieve together. We do not need the largest portfolio – we want the right portfolio, built around authentic partnerships that create lasting value for our users, our partners and the OLBG brand.
