The new title, which is the first national daily newspaper to appear in the UK for 20 years, is targeting betting enthusiasts. It is up against Trinity Mirror's Racing Post, which has an ABC circulation of 75,908.
Earlier today The Sportsman told Brand Republic that it was estimating the figure to be around 60,000. It has now revised this up and said that first day sales exceeded all expectations, even when stripping out sample copies. The figure easily beats bearish targets of 50,000 with the exact figure being available next week.
The 65,000 full sale figure is sure to drop, with The Sportsman team hoping it will settle at around 40,000, the paper's breakeven circulation.
Ed Pownall, head of PR at The Sportsman, said: "We're actually reporting figures closer to the region of 60,000. We think our circulation won't decrease dramatically from readers who will only buy it a few times to give it a try."
He said the paper was confident of its circulation because, unlike a traditional national newspaper launch, The Sportsman is different with its niche sports and betting focus.
He said: "The Sportsman has a more selective readership. We're confident our circulation will either stay the same or increase."
The Sportsman has also reported widely varying regional circulation figures for its first week.
"It's been interesting looking at the regional differences in sales, which have been huge. Sales in Kent have been pretty low but Scotland, Liverpool and Newcastle have seen a particularly high circulation," Pownall said.
The Sportsman has backed its launch with a £2m marketing spend, with a campaign created by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest.
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