Bet365 Owner
Denise Coates is a name synonymous with success in the iGaming industry. As the founder and co-owner of Bet365, one of the world’s largest betting companies, she has achieved billionaire status and is currently the highest-paid woman in the world. Her journey to success, built on vision, determination, and courage, has made her an icon, and her impact on the online gambling market is almost mythical. Coates not only created a global empire but also revolutionized the way people place bets, setting new standards for the entire industry.

The financial phenomenon of Denise Coates
Denise Coates, CEO and majority shareholder of Bet365, has solidified her position not only as a leader in the iGaming industry but also as one of the highest-paid individuals in the world. According to Companies House, for the financial year ending in March 2023, Coates received a salary of approximately $280 million and at least $60 million in dividends. Despite the company recording a pre-tax loss of $93 million in the same period, her remuneration increased by the equivalent of $10 million compared to the previous year.
In 2024, preliminary data indicates a decline compared to the previous year. Coates received a salary of £94.7 million, a significant reduction from the £280 million she earned in the previous year. Additionally, with her 58% stake in the company, she received dividends amounting to approximately £64 million. Her total income for the period reached around £158.7 million, which, despite the reduction, still places her among the highest-paid business leaders in the world.
Over the past few years, Coates has accumulated a total of $1.3 billion in salaries and dividends, including a record $535 million in 2020. Thanks to these earnings, she ranked 373rd on Forbes‘ list of the world’s richest people, with a net worth of nearly $9 billion. Coates also remains one of the wealthiest women in the UK.
It is worth noting that Coates’ earnings far exceed those offered by the largest publicly traded companies in both Europe and the United States. In 2022, Pascal Soriot, CEO of the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, was the highest-paid executive in the FTSE 100 index, earning approximately £15 million—a mere fraction of Coates’ earnings. Even in the prestigious U.S. S&P 500 index, her remuneration outpaced leaders such as Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone ($253 million) and Sundar Pichai of Alphabet ($226 million).
The beginnings of Denise Coates’ career
Denise Coates started her career in her family’s betting company, Provincial Racing, where she worked as a cashier as a teenager. At the same time, she studied accounting at Staffordshire University, which helped her advance her career. After graduating, she took on the role of an accountant, and in 1995, she became the managing director of a chain of betting shops, securing a loan from Barclays to acquire a competing network.
Her career breakthrough came in 2000 when, at the age of 33, she decided to move the business online. Working from a portable office in a parking lot in Stoke-on-Trent, she began building Bet365—a company that would revolutionize the iGaming industry. Coates saw the potential in online betting, realizing that the future of gambling lay not in retail shops but in 24/7 online accessibility. This strategic move allowed her company to achieve a global reach, now handling bets exceeding £65 billion annually.
One of Coates’ most significant achievements was introducing and refining live betting, which allows users to place bets in real time on events such as the next corner kick in a soccer match or the next point in a tennis game. This innovative model has become a cornerstone of Bet365’s success and a standard in the online gambling industry.
For her achievements, Coates was awarded the Order of the British Empire, and her contribution to the region’s economy has made Bet365 the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent. She also received an honorary doctorate from Staffordshire University, recognizing her impact not only on the industry but also on the local community.
Success built on family foundations
Denise Coates’ story is not just about extraordinary vision and determination but also about a strong family background that enabled her to grow and achieve the status of one of the richest women in the world. Raised in a family with deep business traditions, Denise had access to knowledge and experience that proved crucial in building the global gambling empire of Bet365. Her father, Peter Coates, is not only the chairman of Stoke City FC but also an experienced entrepreneur who has been active in various industries for years.
The wealth and influence of the Coates family are best illustrated by their impressive estate in Cheshire, valued at £90 million. The sprawling 21-hectare property boasts luxuries typical of billionaires—an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a boathouse, and a helipad. The estate, designed by renowned architect Norman Foster, reflects the family’s wealth and exceptional status in British society. Despite initial controversies surrounding its construction and the inconvenience it caused the local community, the residence has become a symbol of their success.
Although Bet365 is often regarded as Denise’s personal success, it is, in reality, the result of a family collaboration, where her father’s business acumen and financial backing played a crucial role. When Coates decided to enter the online betting sector, it was the family’s resources and experience that helped transform her bold vision into a profitable business model. Today, the company generates billions in revenue, serving customers worldwide, while Coates remains a symbol of success that would not have been possible without a strong foundation and family support.
Regardless of her personal achievements, it is undeniable that without her family’s capital and her father’s business expertise, Bet365’s success might never have materialized.
Large-scale philanthropy – The charitable work of Denise Coates
Denise Coates has not only built one of the largest online gambling empires in the world but is also actively engaged in philanthropy through the Denise Coates Foundation, founded in 2012. Previously known as the Bet365 Foundation, it has become one of the largest private charitable organizations in the UK, having donated hundreds of millions of pounds to various initiatives. By 2014, the foundation had allocated £100 million to support 20 British charities, and to date, its financial contributions have exceeded £750 million.
The foundation’s support spans a wide range of initiatives—from funding medical research to disaster relief and educational and cultural projects. Beneficiaries include the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in Stoke, British humanitarian organizations Oxfam and CAFOD, and relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The foundation also supported St Joseph’s College in Trent Vale with a £230,000 donation to assist youth in Sierra Leone.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Coates donated £10 million to support the University Hospitals of North Midlands, helping medical staff combat the virus. The foundation has also financed local projects, such as the renovation of The New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, which received £235,000 for refurbishment.
Denise Coates – A legend in iGaming and global business
In summary, Denise Coates is a figure whose influence on the iGaming industry is nearly legendary. While her success would not have been possible without her family’s support and her father’s business acumen, it is her vision, determination, and exceptional management skills that have made her one of the most powerful women in global business.
Today, Coates is not only the richest woman in the UK but also one of the highest-paid business leaders globally, surpassing even the top executives of FTSE 100 and S&P 500 companies. Despite criticism surrounding her charitable foundation’s tax strategies, the impact of her philanthropy is undeniable.
Whether seen as a result of family heritage or individual genius, one thing is certain: Denise Coates is a trailblazer who has set new standards in the world of iGaming and remains an inspiration to future business leaders.