GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 1 - May 2007

24 I have also risen to the challenge of developing my online business and it is now where most of my energy goes.” Investing all that energy — Done has completed over 10 marathons, so he has plenty of it — is paying off. Betfred is one of the top-20 English languagesportsbooksthatdoesn’tallow wagers from U.S. players, according to online.casinocity.com. And the Betfred brand has even become the official bookmaker and gaming partner for Wembley Stadium and Manchester United. A lifelong United fan and season ticket holder for over 40 years, it seems that Done’s only missteps have come in part as a result of his allegiance to the team. Done famously lost a £1 million bet with rival b o o k m a k e r Victor Chandler that Manchester United would finish higher than Chelsea in the premiership. He also paid off future bets that Manchester United would win the Premiership with 10 games left to play in the 1998 season, only to see Arsenal end up overtaking them in the standings. Done ended up losing about £500,000 after paying off the bets on Arsenal. Done says he can only enjoy watching a game if he isn’t going to lose a fortune on it, with one major exception. “I am happy to see (Manchester United) win even if it costsme a fortune,”Done explained. Done also has a soft spot for horse racing, which isn’t surprising, considering football and horses are where Betfred customers wager the most money. Done owns “The Bonus King,” which has finished in the money in 16 of 51 races, and he sponsors the Betfred Gold Cup, which he lists as the best race day of the year. But the sport has alsobrought himgreat sadness, as Mister Monet, a horse he had part ownership in, was put down after breaking its leg in the Champion Stakes in October, 2004. The horse won four of its first six races -- including its last three -- before its career came to an untimely end. The syndicate was offered £2 million for the horse earlier in the year, and Donehaspublicly claimed it would have been worth £100 million if he had won the Champion Stakes. Despite these losses, Done generally doesn’t make wagers himself. “I take huge gambles every day with the bets I lay,” he says. While some might consider making the leap from running betting shops on the street to running an Internet betting site a gamble, it has been a natural progression for the Betfred brand. “We had previously concentrated on increasing the number of shops we have, which is still the core of our business,” Done said. The Done File ›› Born: March 5, 1943 in Weaste, Salford ›› Parents: Fred and Anne Done ›› Siblings: Brother, Peter; Sisters Audrey and Joyce ›› Raised: Salford ›› Education: “The college of hard knocks” ›› First job: Runner for his father’s bookmaking business ›› Typical day: In the office from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Usually goes for a run either first thing or later in the day The Ultimate Soccer Fan ›› Done has been a Manchester United season ticket holder for more than 40 years ›› Lost a £1 million bet with Victor Chandler that Manchester United would finish higher in the Premiership standings than Chelsea in 2004 ›› Lost £500,000 when he paid off bets on Manchester United to win the Premiership title with 10 games remaining, only to seeArsenal end upwinning crown ›› Says he’s happy to see Manchester United win even if it costs him a fortune “Are you kidding? As a rule, I don’t bet – I take huge gambles every day with the bets I lay! However, I had a £1 million wager with Victor Chandler three seasons ago on United finishing higher than Chelsea. I think you know the result of that one!” — (Done lost) Fotolia.com