The campaign ran in the weeks before the fight. Fans took part by betting on the result and leaving a comment on McGregor’s Instagram. It also kept them involved after the fight, as 1xBet published the results across its global accounts in the following week.
How interest in the fight turned into opportunity
Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn met in Las Vegas on September 12 on a Zuffa Boxing card. The American put his WBC welterweight world title on the line against the British fighter, son of former world champion Nigel Benn.
After months of back-and-forth on social media and heavy press coverage, it was one of the most talked-about fights of the year.
It didn’t last long. In the second round, Garcia dropped Benn with a clean shot and followed up with a flurry of punches until the referee waved it off at 1:25. Garcia kept his belt, and Conor Benn suffered the first knockout defeat of his professional career.
1xBet had tied its campaign to the fight well before fight night. Fans could enter a contest with McGregor and a $100,000 prize pool, which gave them a personal stake in the event on top of watching it.
Why the Notorious
McGregor was the first fighter to hold UFC titles in two divisions at the same time, and his fame goes far beyond MMA. He also fought in the second-highest-grossing boxing match in history.
His Instagram account has 46.6 million followers and works as a media channel in its own right. It reaches committed combat sports fans as well as people who only tune in for the biggest events.
In this campaign, McGregor linked the fight and the contest. The title bout drew the attention and the prize pool gave people a reason to enter, but the entries themselves happened under his post. His followers had one more reason to watch the main event: a chance to win a $100 free bet from McGregor and 1xBet.
Simplicity as conversion driver
The campaign opened on September 1 and closed on fight night, September 12. 1xBet then announced the results on its global accounts between September 14 and 21. That schedule kept fans engaged at three points: in the build-up, on the night and afterwards, when the winners were named.
To enter, fans placed a bet of at least $10 at odds of 1.6 or higher on Garcia vs Benn. Then they posted their bet slip number in the comments under the giveaway post on McGregor’s Instagram. The first 1,000 people to meet both conditions each received a $100 free bet, making up the $100,000 prize pool.
With only two steps, entering was easy for anyone already planning to bet on the fight. The limit of 1,000 winners gave people a reason to enter early.
What remains after the fight
The fight was over in the second round. For the people who entered, though, it had started when the campaign opened at the beginning of September. Entrants watched with a bet already placed and their comment posted on McGregor’s page, so the result mattered to them in a personal way. For 1xBet, the activation put the brand at the centre of one of the year’s biggest fights and gave fans a clear reason to engage.
