Bet365: A Giant's Potential Shift
By Yannick Schroth, Edited by Angela Burke, Published on: 05.05.2025, Updated on: 08.05.2025.
- Rumored Sale of the Sports Betting Behemoth Bet365
- A £9 Billion Valuation and US IPO on the Horizon?
- Exit from China to Seize US Investors' Attention
Potential £9 Billion Deal in the Works
The Coates clan contemplates a staggering billion-dollar transaction involving the sports betting corporation, Bet365.
According to numerous media reports, the British Coates family is pondering a full or partial sale of sports betting behemoth Bet365. This family of billionaires control the online gambling titan.
Discussions with US investment banks and advisors regarding strategic options such as an IPO on a US exchange or a partial sale to private equity investors have already transpired, as reported by the British daily newspaper The Guardian [Link in English]. A staggering valuation of around £9 billion (approximately €10.6 billion) is being debated.
Though no decision has been made, the process appears to be in an advanced stage. Alongside a classic IPO or partial sale, the possibility of a spin-off of individual business units is also under consideration, allowing certain business areas to be separated and continued as independent entities.
Strategic Makeover and Global Expansion
As per market analysts, both strategic and personal reasons of CEO Denise Coates might be driving the potential sale.
The 57-year-old, who owns 58% of the shares and could stand to earn around £5 billion (roughly €5.9 billion) in the event of a sale, has recently made several strategic moves: she pulled Bet365 out of the legally questionable Chinese market in March 2025 and transferred control of the family-owned football club Stoke City FC to her brother John.
Bet365: The Rise and Potential Fall of the Betting Giant
From a container office in the English town of Stoke-on-Trent, Bet365 ascended in just two decades to become one of the largest online betting providers in the world. Propelled by Denise Coates, now one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Britain, the company may now be gearing up for its next big move: a billion-dollar sale or IPO.
These steps could signal preparation for a deal with US investors. In particular, the withdrawal from the Chinese market suggests that Bet365 may wish to steer clear of potential issues that could arise from problematic overseas ventures during an IPO in the US.
To this end, Bet365 has recently ventured into regulated markets such as the USA, Brazil, and Peru. The company is now active in 13 US states and has formed new partnerships, such as with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team in the state of Missouri.
Financial Health and Valuation Indicate a Profitable Exit
Financially, the company is in good shape. For the fiscal year ending March 2024, Bet365 reported a 9% increase in revenue to 3.72 billion GBP (around 4.36 billion EUR) and a pre-tax profit of 626.6 million GBP (around 735 million EUR) — a big turnaround from the loss it sustained in the previous year.
A US IPO would make Bet365 the largest gaming company IPO worldwide, potentially signaling that online gambling has entered the mainstream. Industry experts even see it as a new benchmark for valuation of competitors like Flutter or Entain, as a successful IPO by Bet365 could demonstrate just how highly a large, profitable online betting company can be valued. This, in turn, would influence the market value of similar firms.
At the same time, an IPO would dramatically increase the disclosure requirements of the company – a stark departure from their previously tight-lipped culture.
Outlook: Departure or Coming-of-age?
Despite the prospects, it remains uncertain whether a sale will actually take place. The Coates family, as the sole owner, need not act rapidly and can take all the time needed to find the optimal moment. However, the maturing market and increasing competition – particularly from US heavyweights like DraftKings – suggest that Bet365 may be heralding its next growth phase under new management.
For years, people have been discussing that the only company they would like to invest in is Bet365. Although there is a general consensus in the industry that the company may be losing its shine, it remains one of the best, if not the best, online sports betting companies worldwide.-Alun Bowden, analyst at EKG, The Guardian*
Furthermore, it has been speculated that personal considerations within the Coates family may also be at play: Denise Coates will soon celebrate her 60th birthday, and the occasion might be used to pass the company on to new hands after two decades of rapid growth. According to industry analyst Paul Leyland, Coates may have decided to prevent the company from stagnating, but instead to ready it for the next phase of development.
- The British family who control online gambling titan Bet365 are billionaires and are currently considering a full or partial sale of the sports betting behemoth.
- Discussions with US investment banks and advisors regarding strategic options such as an IPO on a US exchange or a partial sale to private equity investors have already taken place, with a valuation of around £9 billion (approximately €10.6 billion) being debated.
- Denise Coates, CEO of Bet365, may be driving the potential sale due to both strategic and personal reasons, having recently made several moves such as withdrawing from the Chinese market and transferring control of the family-owned football club Stoke City FC to her brother John.
- A US IPO for Bet365 could make it the largest gaming company IPO worldwide, potentially signalling that online gambling has entered the mainstream and serving as a new benchmark for valuation of competitors like Flutter or Entain.
- Industry analysts see the potential sale of Bet365 as a departure or coming-of-age for the betting giant, with speculation that personal considerations within the Coates family may also play a role in the decision.
