Bet365 Founder Denise Coates Tops Midlands Rich List Amid Potential £9bn Sale
The queen of British online gambling, Denise Coates, has secured the top spot on the 2025 Midlands Rich List, as reports emerge that she is considering a sale of her betting giant Bet365 for a staggering sum of up to £9 billion. This potential deal would further cement the Coates family's financial dominance in the region.
The Rise of a Betting Empire
Denise Coates famously launched the business from a prefabricated building in a Stoke-on-Trent car park, convinced that the internet was poised to revolutionise the gambling industry. She founded the company with her brother, John Coates. The gamble paid off spectacularly, creating one of the world's most successful online betting platforms.
Last year, the mother-of-five paid herself a salary of £94.7 million, a figure that, while enormous, represented a 57% decrease from the previous year. The Coates family, which includes Denise's father, also named John, retains a controlling 93.3% stake in Bet365. In the same period, the family received £102.6 million in dividends. The combined value of the potential sale and years of substantial payouts now places the family's fortune above the £10 billion mark.
Beyond their business interests, the family are also known for their ownership of Stoke-on-Trent FC and their significant philanthropic contributions, consistently donating more than £100 million annually to charity.
The 2025 Midlands Rich List Revealed
The full list, compiled by Robert Watts of Sunday Times Rich List fame for the December edition of Midlands Business Insider, showcases the region's most affluent individuals with a combined wealth exceeding £50 billion. The list was revealed on 13th November 2025.
Here are the key figures from the 2025 Midlands Rich List:
- Lord Bamford and family: Ranked second with £9.316 billion (down from £9.450bn). Their company, JCB, faced a challenging year with profits falling nearly 15% due to weaker demand. The family's other ventures include Daylesford Organic and Wrightbus.
- Mike Ashley: In third place with £3.794 billion. The retail magnate's Frasers Group encompasses brands like Sports Direct and Jack Wills, though sluggish consumer spending has impacted profits.
- John Bloor: His fortune is valued at £2.8 billion. The owner of Triumph Motorcycles and a major housebuilding company saw his holding company's profits fall by over 40%.
- Sir Will Adderley and family: With £2 billion, the Dunelm deputy chairman has seen success from investments in BT and Vodafone, despite a slight dip in Dunelm's share price.
The 2025 list illustrates the dynamic nature of wealth in the Midlands, where traditional industries like manufacturing and retail intersect with the immense success of modern digital enterprises like Bet365.
