It pays to be on social media, especially if you’re a famous athlete with a large following. Just ask Shane Lowry.
According to a new study conducted by Irish betting experts; Bettingtop10 Ireland, Lowry is the fourth highest-earning Irish athlete on Instagram.
The 2019 Open Champion is reported to boast an average Instagram earning of €986 per sponsored post. His account @shanelowrygolf has amassed 271,000 followers who get treated to his tournament and training activities as well as family portraits.
It’s handy money for the Clara favourite, not that he’s stuck for a penny having amassed almost $17million in career earnings on the PGA Tour alone, but nobody will turn their nose up at a grand for posting a picture on Insta.
That said, Lowry’s Instagram earnings are but a splash in the ocean compared to Conor McGregor who is by far Ireland’s most influential athlete on social media.
The UFC star boasts an average earnings of €111,495 per sponsored post on Instagram. The Dubliner has amassed a following of a whopping 46.2 million fans with the account handle @thenotoriousmma.
He “treats” his followers to scenes of his fights and day-to-day engagements, spanning luxury outings to preparing a hotdog sandwich.
In second place is Becky Lynch, who can rake in €13,726 on average per sponsored Instagram post. The most followed Irish wrestler boasts 5.6 million followers with the account handle @beckylynchwwe. She shares her wrestling victories and philanthropic activities to the admiration of her fans on the social media platform.
Boxer Katie Taylor is in third place, earning, on average €1,931 per sponsored Instagram post. Her account @katie_t86 has garnered 538,000 followers who are entertained by her punching rendezvous and training content.
While behind Lowry in fifth place is Conor Murray, who is projected to earn €903 on average, per sponsored Instagram post, with his account @conormurray. Boasting 248,000 followers, he is the highest followed active Irish rugby player on Instagram.
In sixth place is soccer star Matt Doherty earning €762 per sponsored Instagram post with his 207,000 followers. Rhys McClenghan is seventh, earning €348 per sponsored post on Instagram.
Hurling star TJ Reid follows in eighth and is projected to earn €259 per sponsored post to his 52,000 followers, and Brian Fenton could snap €222 per sponsored post on Instagram. Robert Heffernan is tenth, earning an average of €177 per sponsored Instagram post with his 22,900 followers.
Looking at the study, the Irish betting experts of Bettingtop10 Ireland commented: “The list of the most influential Irish athletes on Instagram sheds light on the growing popularity of sportspersons as influencers with great followings on the social media platform.
Athletes are known to have a large reach and, by virtue of their sporting activities, offer entertaining content to their followers. This makes them attractive to brands who look to pick the best influencers for their products.”
The study was conducted by Bettingtop10 Ireland, a one-stop-shop and comprehensive guide for all things sports betting in Ireland.
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