How Paquetá and yellow cards ended a 10-year sponsorship?

As vintage football shirt collectors, we're used to telling stories about iconic moments frozen in fabric and history. But sometimes, a story unfolds in real-time that's so dramatic, it rewrites the very future of football sponsorship. The Lucas Paquetá-Betway-West Ham saga is exactly that story.

The Emergency Sponsor That Became a Decade-Long Partnership

It all started in 2015 when West Ham found themselves in a sponsorship crisis. After Alpari's bankruptcy left them without a shirt sponsor mid-season, Betway stepped up as an emergency solution. What began as a rescue mission evolved into the biggest commercial deal in West Ham's history—a 10-year partnership worth over £70 million that would see the betting company's logo grace some of the most memorable West Ham shirts of the modern era.

From the final season at the Boleyn Ground to the move to London Stadium, from European adventures to Premier League battles, Betway was there for every high and low. For vintage shirt collectors, this means we witnessed one of the longest-running sponsor partnerships in modern football history.

Four Yellow Cards That Changed Everything

But in 2023, four seemingly routine yellow cards would trigger a chain of events that no one could have predicted:

• Leicester City (November 12, 2022)

• Aston Villa (March 12, 2023)

• Leeds United (May 21, 2023)

• Bournemouth (August 12, 2023)

What made these bookings suspicious wasn't the cards themselves, but the betting patterns surrounding them. Betway's integrity system flagged unusual activity—253 bettors from near Paquetá's hometown in Brazil had wagered £46,758 on him receiving yellow cards, with potential payouts of over £200,000.

The Irony of Corporate Responsibility

Here's where the story becomes truly remarkable: Betway's own automated system flagged their sponsored player. Following legal obligations, they reported the suspicious patterns to the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), which alerted FIFA, who then notified the FA.

Think about the irony—a company paying £10 million per year to have their logo on West Ham's shirts ended up triggering the investigation that would ultimately damage their own investment. Paquetá's collapsed £80 million Manchester City transfer meant West Ham lost a massive payday, and the controversy overshadowed what should have been a celebration of their longest commercial partnership.

The End of an Era

After two years of investigation, Paquetá was cleared of all charges in July 2025. The 314-page judgment severely criticized the FA's handling of the case, but the damage was done. The Brazilian midfielder lost his dream move to Manchester City, West Ham missed out on £80 million, and the football world learned a harsh lesson about the intersection of betting and football.

The 10-year Betway partnership ended as scheduled in 2025, with West Ham signing a one-year deal with BoyleSports worth £12 million—ironically, another betting company, for what would be the final season before the Premier League's gambling sponsor ban takes effect in 2026-27.

What This Means for Football Shirt Collecting

For us vintage shirt enthusiasts, the Betway-West Ham partnership represents something significant: the end of betting sponsorship in English football's top flight. Starting in 2026-27, we'll never again see gambling logos on Premier League shirts.

This makes the 2025-26 season historically important—it's literally the last season for betting sponsors. The Betway West Ham shirts from 2015-2025, the BoyleSports kit, and all the other gambling-sponsored shirts from this era will become artifacts of a bygone age in football history.

Collecting the Final Chapter

At Double Kick Football, we understand that every shirt tells a story. The Betway West Ham shirts now tell a complete narrative—from emergency savior to decade-long partner to controversial ending. These shirts carry the weight of European campaigns, the emotion of stadium moves, and now, the drama of football's biggest betting scandal.

As we enter the final season of betting sponsorship in the Premier League, we're witnessing the end of an era that began with Fulham's Betfair shirt in 2002-03. For collectors, this historical significance makes these shirts more than just sportswear—they're pieces of football history.

Ready to own a piece of this remarkable story? Check out our collection of West Ham Betway shirts and other iconic betting-sponsored jerseys before they become even more sought-after historical artifacts.