Formula 1 is rolling out its sports betting strategy, naming Super Group’s Betway as its first officially licensed gambling operator. This move comes after two years of development in formulating the strategy.
F1’s Betting Strategy Takes Shape
F1 has spent the past two years developing a comprehensive betting strategy before diving into the sector. The series is now starting to install that plan with its first officially licensed gaming operator in Super Group’s Betway before the 2026 season begins this weekend in Melbourne.
This year marks a shift in F1’s approach to the betting space. The racing series signed non-exclusive agreements with a range of gaming operators around the world after hiring San Diego-based betting data startup Alt Sports Data last spring.
Alt Sports Data has helped F1 create a product that uses the series’ near-endless-live, low-latency data that comes from the cars and sensors around the track. This data will form in-race betting options, such as choosing which of two drivers will make a pit stop first in forthcoming laps.
Betway’s Multiyear Agreement with F1
Betway has a multiyear agreement with F1 to use the proprietary product that the series and Alt created to offer various odds and bets. More pacts are expected to be announced with other operators in the coming weeks, including some who are licensed broadly in the U.S.
F1 will also start producing betting-related editorial content for its various digital channels.
- Betway has a multiyear agreement with F1.
- F1 will produce betting-related editorial content.
- More pacts with other operators are expected.
Online Focus and Data Integration
There will be no on-track logos or branding from the operators as of now. F1 is focused on online gambling and not in-person retail kiosks, and its website and app offers betting content.
F1 Director of Commercial Partnerships Jonny Haworth said the series didn’t do an exclusive deal because it “didn’t want to alienate operators from integrating the data and marketing it.”
According to Haworth, there isn’t an operator visible in every market, as they’re all regionalised. He added that even partnering with one of the conglomerate operators exclusively would shut the door on the rest of the market as it relates to their willingness to integrate the data and their willingness to market Formula 1 as a product.
Longtime IMG Arena executive Mark Wrigley joined the racing series last year as its Head of Betting. He will be the main person overseeing the deals on a day-to-day basis.
F1 is starting to install its betting strategy with Betway, and more pacts are expected to be announced with other operators in the coming weeks.