PSL announces massive increase in prize money for 2024/25 Premiership winners
Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson, Doctor Irvin Khoza, said that the winner's of the 2024/25 campaign would receive R5 million more than last season's winners, Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) held a media briefing on 6 November 2024. Picture: Mawande Mateza/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson, Doctor Irvin Khoza, announced a staggering increase in prize money for the winners of this season’s Betway Premiership.
The 2024/25 campaign is the PSL's first in partnership with the gambling company, who invested R900 million over the next three years to become the title sponsor.
Khoza revealed that the league championship winners would receive a R20 million reward for their efforts - a R5 million raise from last season’s R15 million that Mamelodi Sundowns took home after a record-breaking season where they won a seventh consecutive title.
#BetwayPrem Dr Khoza has confirmed that the winners of this season’s Betway Premiership will receive a prize of R20 million.
— EWN_Sport (@EWN_Sport) November 6, 2024
In addition, Khoza also announced a ban on professional players, coaches and club officials registered with the PSL from betting on local games in order to preserve the integrity of the league.
Concerns were raised when the sponsorship was announced in July over players using the sponsors’ services related to fixtures they had a direct influence on.
"One important thing we have done is we’ve changed our regulations. Anybody involved in football, in membership form, or registered as a player, any one of those people, you cannot be involved in betting because you are in the system" Khoza said.
“Anybody involved in football, cannot be involved in betting because you are in the system.”
— EWN_Sport (@EWN_Sport) November 6, 2024
Dr Khoza confirms that players & officials involved in professional football will not be allowed to place bets on matches in order to safeguard the integrity of the league.#BetwayPrem
The PSL did come under some scrutiny for accepting a deal with a betting company to become the league's main sponsor due to some of the negative effects of gambling in society.
Khoza wouldn’t be drawn into a discussion about the criticism of the betting company itself nor with previous sponsors and encouraged the public to gamble responsibly.
"We spoke about the same thing with [past sponsor] SA Breweries at the time and I was controversial when I said there’s nothing wrong with liquor, something is wrong with us. We can’t blame the liquor, it’s the same with gambling. We are saying to the public, whatever you do, don’t chase your losses," said Khoza.
Khoza’s club Orlando Pirates are the current leaders on the Betway Premiership table with 21 points after winning all seven of their opening games.