The Coates Family Could Sell Bet365 for £9 Billion: Potential Sale or U.S. IPO
The billionaire Coates family, owners of leading online bookmaker Bet365, is in talks about a full or partial sale of the company, which could be valued at £9 billion.
Deal options: from partial sale to IPO
According to sources, the Coates family is discussing various scenarios with Wall Street banks and U.S. advisors:
- partial sale of a stake to an investment fund followed by an IPO,
- spin-off of part of the business,
- listing on a U.S. stock exchange,
- search for a bank to structure the deal at the “beauty parade” stage.
It is expected that in case of a deal, the family will retain control until the IPO. Such actions could ensure maximum benefit from the sale and appeal to U.S. investors.
Valuation and potential profit
Bet365 could be sold for £9 billion. Given that Denise Coates owns 58% of the shares, she could receive over £5 billion in the event of a full sale.
According to consulting firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG), U.S. sports betting revenue is expected to grow from $14 billion to over $23.3 billion by 2029. This fuels interest in Bet365 as a high-potential player.
Preparing for the U.S. market
In recent years, the company has taken a number of steps to improve its image and attractiveness in the eyes of U.S. investors:
| Action | Objective |
|---|---|
| Exit from the Chinese market | Avoid issues due to the illegal status of betting in China |
| Transfer of Stoke City to Denise’s brother John Coates | Divestment of assets unrelated to the core business |
Bet365’s success story
Bet365 started in a Portakabin in Stoke, where Denise Coates purchased the domain Bet365.com for $25,000 and mortgaged the family’s betting shops to create her own platform. Thanks to her efforts, the company outpaced giants like Ladbrokes and William Hill.
Since 2019, Coates has increased her stake from 50.2% to 58%, becoming the highest-paid woman in the UK. Her total payouts over the years exceed £2 billion.
Bet365’s position in the U.S. market
Since the federal ban on betting in the U.S. was lifted in 2018, Bet365 has established a presence in 13 states and continues to expand its licensing footprint.
Although the company currently controls only around 2.5% of the U.S. market, its goal is to reach a double-digit share.
According to EKG analyst Alun Bowden, additional investment may be needed to achieve this, making the current moment favorable for a sale.
The future of Bet365: “star” or investment target?
Analysts believe that even though there are now some views about Bet365 “fading,” the company remains one of the top players in the world of online betting.
In addition to sports betting, it has growth prospects in the casino segment and in new markets.
“This is a business everyone has long wanted to invest in. Even if some say they’re not what they used to be, Bet365 remains a leader,” Bowden noted.