Betfred
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| Private | |
| Industry | Gambling |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Warrington |
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Key people
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Fred, co-founder, chairman and CEO Peter Done, co-founder |
| Website | www.betfred.com |
Betfred is a UK-based bookmaker, named after its co-founders Fred and Peter Done. It was first established as a single shop in Ordsall, Salford, in 1967. Its turnover in 2004 was more than £3.5 billion, having risen from £550 million in 2003. As of February 2016, the company has 1,370 betting shops.
Its head office is in Birchwood, Warrington. The CEO for two years until September 2016 was John Haddock, who started with the company as a regional manager in 1986. On his departure, chairman Fred Done assumed the CEO role.
Fred Done was the first ever bookmaker to pay out early (i.e. before the result was guaranteed), when in March 1998 it paid out to gamblers who had bet that Manchester United would win the Premier League, only for Arsenal to pip United by one point. Betfred also paid out early on Manchester United to win the 2011–12 Premier League title, only for Manchester City to beat them on goal difference.
During the 2004–05 FA Premier League season, Done lost £1m to fellow bookmaker Victor Chandler after staking that amount that Manchester United would finish higher than Chelsea.
As of 2017, Betfred are the main sponsor for Rugby League's 'Superleague initially for 3 years.
In May 2016 it was announced that Betfred would take over sponsorship of The Scottish League Cup for 3 years Eight sections of five teams will play the round-robin, starting in July. It will involve 38 clubs not involved in Champions League or Europa League qualifiers, plus the winners of the Highland League and Lowland League.Peter Haddock commented you'll like the new format,especially the penalty phase.
On 3 June 2011 Betfred bought The Tote in a deal worth £265m. The company pledged £155m into racing over the next seven years, as well as creating the Tote Racing Development Board, giving greater say to industry figures. Football manager and racehorse owner Sir Alex Ferguson had lent his support to Betfred's bid.
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