The Sportsman

What The Sportsman does

The Sportsman is described in firmographic records as a UK-based media company, founded in 1865 and headquartered in Manchester, publishing both a newspaper and an online destination focused on live football news, with a small operating team of 11–50 employees. The aggregated operational evidence, however, describes a far broader footprint: an integrated sports-betting and gambling platform operating under the Betfred brand via its legal entity Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited, registered at 5.2 Waterport Place, 2 Europort Avenue, Gibraltar GX11 1AA, and dual-licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (account 39544) and the Government of Gibraltar.

The platform combines an online sportsbook covering 15+ sports (football, horse racing, boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, F1, golf, greyhounds, rugby league/union, snooker, tennis, UFC, and US sports including MLB, NBA, NFL) with adjacent verticals (Casino, Games, Poker, Bingo, Lotto, Virtual sports) and free-to-play mechanics (Beat Fred), distributed through betfred.com, a mobile app, and a UK high-street retail shop estate. Betfred Insights (insights.betfred.com) functions as the editorial layer, publishing daily betting tips, NAP of the Day, Lucky 15 Tips, match previews, and ambassador content featuring named figures such as John Barnes, Katie Walsh, and Paul Robinson, with a tracked visitor base of 1,470,720+.

The business monetizes via transactional wagering and gaming economics typical of UK-licensed gambling operators, with promotional levers including a sports welcome offer (£10 bet get £50), free spins, and exclusive accumulator products (Nifty 50). Go-to-market leans on a dense sponsorship portfolio (Manchester United, Royal Ascot, The Derby, World Matchplay Darts, Super League, Matchroom Boxing, English Rugby League, British Masters) and content-driven organic acquisition rather than disclosed paid marketing channels. The Sportsman and Betfred appear in the data as closely linked or co-managed entities, but the precise corporate relationship is not disclosed; this ambiguity is a material data gap for any investor.

Name

The Sportsman

Legal name

Petfre (Gibraltar) Limited

Website

https://thesportsman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sportsman is a UK-based sports media brand (founded 1865, Manchester, 11–50 employees) operating as a newspaper and online football-news destination, whose operational footprint is closely integrated with the Betfred multi-product sports betting and gambling platform and its Betfred Insights editorial and tipping content engine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Betting and Gambling Services

NAICS

Other Gambling Industries (713290), Gambling Industries (7132)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Sportsbooks (Online & Mobile Operators) (MPAEACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sportsbook Affiliate & Comparison Sites (MPAEAMAA)

Keywords

• Sports betting tips
• Football betting predictions
• Horse racing tips
• Online casino gaming
• Sports betting content

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sportsman, operating through Betfred Insights, is a free sports betting content platform that publishes daily betting tips, predictions, and previews across 15+ sports for individual sports bettors. The platform is part of the broader Betfred (Petfre Gibraltar Limited) gambling operator, which delivers sports betting, casino, games, poker, bingo, and lotto products under the UK Gambling Commission license.

Product overview

Betfred operates a multi-product gambling ecosystem centered on its online betting platform. The core offering is Sports Betting covering major sports leagues and events globally. Adjacent products include Casino, Games (slots), Poker, Bingo, and Lotto. The company also runs Betfred Insights as an editorial content platform providing free betting tips and predictions across football, horse racing, darts, cricket, and other sports, featuring daily tips like NAP of the Day and Lucky 15 Tips. Supporting tools include the Bet Calculator and Betfred TV. The brand maintains an integrated promotional strategy including welcome offers, the Nifty 50 accumulator, and free-to-play games like Beat Fred.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Betfred Insights (The Sportsman content platform) Free sports betting content platform providing daily tips, predictions, and previews across football, horse racing, tennis, golf, boxing, and other sports. Targeted at individual sports bettors seeking expert analysis to inform wagering decisions.
• Sports Betting Pre-match and in-play sports betting on football, horse racing, tennis, golf, boxing, and other sports. Wagering products include free bets, each-way, accumulators, and scorecasts.
• Casino Online casino product offering table games and live dealer experiences to individual gambling consumers.
• Games (Slots) Online slot and instant-win games product targeting individual gambling consumers.
• Poker Online poker product offering cash games and tournaments to individual poker players.
• Bingo Online bingo product offering bingo games and rooms to individual gambling consumers.
• Lotto Online lotto product offering lottery betting and draw-based games to individual consumers.
• Betfred TV Live streaming of sports events to support in-play betting engagement for individual sports betting customers.
• Bet Calculator Free betting calculator tool that allows customers to compute potential returns and stake requirements across bet types.
• Virtual Sports Virtual sports betting product offering computer-simulated sports events for continuous wagering opportunities.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• 1000 GuineasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBetfred is a sponsor of the 1000 Guineas horse racing classic held at Newmarket. This is a horse racing sponsorship providing brand visibility during a prestigious flat racing event.
• 2000 GuineasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBetfred is a sponsor of the 2000 Guineas horse racing classic held at Newmarket. Partnering with this prestigious flat racing event for brand exposure.
• The DerbycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsorship of The Derby, one of Britain's most prestigious horse racing events at Epsom Downs. High-profile sponsorship providing significant brand visibility.
• The OaksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of The Oaks, a prestigious fillies' horse race at Epsom Downs associated with The Derby meeting.
• St LegerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of the St Leger, the oldest and longest of the British Classic Races, held annually at Doncaster.
• Royal AscotcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of Royal Ascot, Britain's most prestigious horse racing meeting attended by the Royal Family. Major sporting and social event with extensive media coverage.
• British MastersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of the British Masters golf tournament on the DP World Tour, providing visibility among golf enthusiasts.
• World Matchplay DartscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsorship of the World Matchplay Darts Championship held annually in Blackpool. Betfred Insights features dedicated coverage of this event with betting tips.
• Manchester UnitedflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Sponsor of Manchester United Football Club. Major flagship sponsorship providing extensive brand visibility in Premier League football, one of the world's most-watched sports competitions.
• Matchroom BoxingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship partnership with Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn's boxing promotion company covering major fight events worldwide.
• BoxxerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of Boxxer, a UK-based boxing promotion company. Betfred Insights features boxing betting tips and coverage.
• English Rugby LeaguecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of English Rugby League at various levels including the Championship, League One, and Challenge Cup competitions.
• Super LeaguecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsorship of the Rugby Super League, the top-level professional rugby league competition in England and Wales.

Scale indicators2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coral (Entain): Major UK sportsbook and gaming brand within Entain's portfolio, with retail presence and integrated sportsbook/casino. Comparable as a UK-focused multi-product gambling operator competing for the same customer.
• Paddy Power (Flutter): Major UK/Irish sportsbook with strong content marketing, ambassador programs, and multi-product offering. Comparable as a marketing-led UK/European sportsbook with brand-led content strategy.
• bet365: Global privately held online sportsbook dominant in the UK market. Comparable as a multi-product, content-rich operator competing directly for UK sportsbook share.
• Ladbrokes (Entain): UK heritage sportsbook with retail shops and online sportsbook/casino/poker under Entain. Comparable as a UK-concentrated multi-product gambling operator with content and ambassador marketing.
• Betfred: The parent sportsbook operator that The Sportsman/Betfred Insights feeds with content and traffic. Comparable as the underlying sportsbook business; The Sportsman is its owned-and-operated media arm.
• Sky Betting & Gaming (Flutter): UK online sportsbook and gaming operator owned by Flutter Entertainment. Comparable as a digital-first UK sportsbook competing for the same customer base with deep sports content integration.
• William Hill: Major UK retail and online sportsbook operator with its own editorial/content hub. Comparable as a multi-product UK gambling incumbent competing in sportsbook, casino, and content.

Direct peers

• Racing Post: Long-established UK horse racing content, tipping, and news brand with deep sports-betting editorial heritage. Closely comparable to The Sportsman in heritage age, editorial focus, and tipping-driven monetization.
• Oddschecker: UK sports betting odds comparison and affiliate site that drives traffic to multiple operators. Directly comparable to The Sportsman's content/affiliate function and SEO-led acquisition model.
• BetVictor: UK heritage sportsbook with multi-product offering and content/editorial focus. Comparable as a UK-centric sportsbook of similar scale with content-led customer acquisition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thesportsman

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sportsman