R20 million on offer to Betway Premiership winners

The winners of the 2024/25 Betway Premiership will take home R20 million, Premier Soccer League chairman Dr Irvin Khoza announced on Wednesday.

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This is an increase of R5 million on the R15 million that Sundowns picked up as the winners of last season’s DStv Premiership.

Premiership prize money in full to follow

Khoza did not announce the rest of the prize money at a press conference at the PSL offices in Parktown. Instead, it seems the organisers are keen to drag the process out. Second place, third place and the rest are set to be announced on different dates.

Betway and the PSL announced a three-year, R300 million-a-year deal in July for the gambling giant to take over as title sponsor. This was after DStv abruptly ended their existing deal with the PSL. There have been reports of a financial crisis plaguing parent company Multichoice.

The late change in sponsor meant that the Premiership kicked off about a month late. At the Betway Premiership launch at the beginning of September in Sandton, meanwhile, there were no details given on prize money, and no trophy on display.

On the trophy, Khoza’s message yesterday was “watch this space.”

“The trophy will take a unique journey and there is a lot of history and culture around it,” he added.

“It will be something monumental.”

There has been plenty of controversy worldwide about the growing influence that betting companies are having on sports sponsorships.

Betway CEO Laurence Michel and South African Responsible Gambling Foundation executive director Sibongile Simelane-Quntana were also at the PSL offices. 

And both were keen to stress the importance of gambling responsibly – November is National Responsible Gambling month in this country.

“There is nothing wrong with betting, but there is something wrong with over-betting,” said Michel.

‘Don’t chase losses’

“Don’t chase losses … bet money you can afford and only take from disposable income. It doesn’t help to take money from an overdraft (to bet).”

The PSL, meanwhile, have now written into their regulations that players, coaches, and anyone else in their leagues are not allowed to take part in betting on PSL football.

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“We have changed the regulations to say anyone in football as a member or a player or a referee (cannot bet on the PSL),” added Khoza.

“If you do, we won’t be with you in court, we will be against you. All registration forms will be amended and players must sign not to be involved in betting.”