Betfair Poker sponsors air racing event

Betfair Poker has signed on as the main sponsor Aero GP's first airborne racing event for the year this weekend in Malta. The company recently set up shop in Malta to run its online poker and games products, making it a good fit to sponsor the race.

A representative from Betfair Poker also said the nature of Aero GP event makes it a good fit with gambling.

Aero GP officially launched in 2005 as an international motor sports series that returns each year to different venues around the world to determine the World Champion Flying Ace. The first-ever Aero GP competition took place in Slovenia, and there will be three events this year at different locations starting with the Grand Prix of Malta.

The first part of the competition is an air race with up to eight airplanes racing together just meters above the ground through a tight circuit reaching up to 500kph. The second event is a one-on-one dog fight, and finally the event ends with target bombing and stunt flying duels.

The event brings together military and civilian trained pilots from around the world to compete and is broadcast on TV in more than 100 countries.