Alibaba and Handnice to invest $1.5m in LeidaSports

Chinese digital sports data company LeidaSports has secured an investment of $1.5 million (€1.3 million) from Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and Handnice Capital.

LeidaSports, which provides sports data information and betting services, will also merge with Chinese sports application Sports Craze, which has an active user base of more than five million.

Under the new operating arrangement, LeidaSports and Sports Craze will supply sports data and content to sports content providers across China.

Data will be provided through LeidaSports’ existing partnership with sports and betting-related data company Sportradar.

Customers in China will have access to virtual sports games, in addition to a play-for-fun sportsbook via the Leidasports/Sports Craze network.

In addition, Leidasports and Sports Craze will develop a host of betting services for the Chinese Super League domestic club football competition, including both online and mobile wagering.

“The two sides will develop rich sporting data and games based on European football and basketball leagues,” LeidaSports co-founder Kai Sun said.

“Fans across the world will be able to experience the joy and passion that football matches bring to them, just like we see in the English Premier League.”

Guozhou Wang, investment manager at Alibaba Group, added: “Alibaba Group, together with Ali Sports, will set up a strategic partnership with Leida through its subsidiaries such as Alibaba Lottery, U.C Web and Alipay.”

The news comes after LeidaSports and Sports Craze also announced a deal with Alibaba subsidiary U.C Web, a company that provides hosted sports data information to more than 100 million customers.