About 490 players from the Ghana Premier League (GPL) have collectively received GH¢1.23 million as part of betPawa's Locker Room Bonus (LRB) initiative for the last season.

This initiative, introduced during the 2022/23 season, aims to celebrate winners and reward outstanding performances, with all clubs in the elite league, except Asante Kotoko, benefiting from it.

For the recently concluded 2023/24 season, the bonus per player more than doubled from GH¢150 the previous season to GH¢400. The LRB is awarded to all players listed in the squad for each match in the top-tier league, and the payout is made directly to their mobile phone wallets immediately after winning a match, before they leave the stadium.

Nii Armah Ashong-Katai, Country Marketing Manager of betPawa, emphasised the company’s commitment to going beyond merely assisting sports management bodies with administrative costs.

"We have always sought to give more to the players in terms of direct benefits as a way to motivate and celebrate them further," he said.

A total of 3,094 LRB payouts were successfully completed during the season, which concluded last Sunday, June 16. 

This season also witnessed the impressive rise of FC Samartex 1996, who clinched their maiden championship title by defeating Accra Lions 2-0. Promoted to the GPL just two years ago, Samartex had finished 10th in their debut season before achieving championship success this year.

Paul Ayamba, FC Samartex’s Business Development Manager, praised the initiative for enhancing competition during training sessions.

The team's captain, Emmanuel Adu Siaw, expressed his excitement about the bonus system: "After games, you have your phone vibrating with a certain amount of bonus. It is very exciting to us."

The betPawa Locker Room Bonus is also being implemented in betPawa-affiliated sports leagues in Rwanda and Uganda. 

The betting brand's management has indicated that the system used to distribute the bonus is available to other like-minded leagues and corporations interested in rewarding players similarly.