Nowadays most Premiership football clubs have their own online gaming sites but Newcastle United are offering their supporters something new.

Not alone can members of the Toon Army win hard cash but the club has come up with some novel prizes which will have magpies everywhere jumping for joy.

Amongst the prizes on offer is the chance to become the club mascot for a Premiership game.

As well as this there’s a chance to watch a match from the Directors Box alongside maverick owner Mike Ashley.

Winning punters can also win VIP tickets to matches as well as an opportunity to spend time with the squad at training sessions.

And Newcastle aren’t the only club trying to capitalise from the online gaming boom.

On the Liverpool FC website poker players have the chance to play online poker against former club greats such Alan Kennedy, Jan Molby, John Aldridge and David Fairclough.

Other clubs including giants Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have their own links to online casino and poker sites with the likes of Paddy Power providing the betting software in many cases.

Online gaming sites were quick to spot the opportunity to advertise with football clubs long before the industry became so highly prominent in the UK.

Aston Villa for example have website 32red.com as their main sponsor and the site’s name is brandished across the Villains football shirts.

The issue of  the relationship between online gaming sponsorship and football came under the spotlight last year when the then sports minister Richard Carbon warned that the UK Gambling Commission was thinking of carrying out a consultation to determine whether clubs who carry the logos of betting firms on their shirts are breaking the law.

For the time being though online and land based gambling companies are expanding their portfolio in the Premiership with Irish firm Boyle Sports who now sponsor Sunderland FC being the latest company to jump on the media friendly bandwagon.

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