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| Mark Blandford |
GVC Holdings - a leading provider of B2B and B2C services to the
online gaming and sports betting markets - has completed the acquisition
of Sportingbet.
The acquisition was made as part of a recommended offer for Sportingbet by GVC and William Hill.
William Hill has acquired Sportingbet's Australian business and has been granted a call option over Sportingbet's Spanish business.
The acquisition was made as part of a recommended offer for Sportingbet by GVC and William Hill.
William Hill has acquired Sportingbet's Australian business and has been granted a call option over Sportingbet's Spanish business.
Blandford tweeted that it was a sad day.
"Thanks for the memories and friendships."
Mark Blandford was the Founder and Director of Sportingbet Plc, a London main board listed company operating an online global sportsbook and casino. Mark now works as a successful venture capital investor.
Born and educated in Hereford, Mark completed a Business degree specialising in international marketing at Wolverhampton Polytechnic and worked in industrial goods, local radio, and food marketing prior to venturing into the bookmaking industry.
Mark was the owner of a traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ bookmaker’s chain for over 15 years, then recognised the potential of the Internet in the mid 90’s. Mark pursued this opportunity to its fullest. In October 1998 he launched Sportingbet.com from Alderney, which was an instantly successful listing on OFEX in April 1999. In January 2001 the company floated on the Alternative Investment Market, part of the London Stock Exchange raising £18m. Sportingbet operates online sports and horse race betting along with casino and virtual games together with Poker.
Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit has lead his company to go from strength to strength acquiring some of the biggest names in gaming – Betmaker.com (Costa Rica), Number One Betting Shop (Australia), Sportsbook (USA) and Sporting Odds (UK) to name a few – making Sportingbet the world’s largest internet gambling group. Sportingbet has revenues exceeding £1 billion and in excess of 1.1m customers from over 150 countries worldwide.
Sportingbet grew to report profits of £103m in year end July 2005.
Employment peaked around 1,000 people and market capitalization of the company reached nearly £2billion.
Mark Blandford was the Founder and Director of Sportingbet Plc, a London main board listed company operating an online global sportsbook and casino. Mark now works as a successful venture capital investor.
Born and educated in Hereford, Mark completed a Business degree specialising in international marketing at Wolverhampton Polytechnic and worked in industrial goods, local radio, and food marketing prior to venturing into the bookmaking industry.
Mark was the owner of a traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ bookmaker’s chain for over 15 years, then recognised the potential of the Internet in the mid 90’s. Mark pursued this opportunity to its fullest. In October 1998 he launched Sportingbet.com from Alderney, which was an instantly successful listing on OFEX in April 1999. In January 2001 the company floated on the Alternative Investment Market, part of the London Stock Exchange raising £18m. Sportingbet operates online sports and horse race betting along with casino and virtual games together with Poker.
Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit has lead his company to go from strength to strength acquiring some of the biggest names in gaming – Betmaker.com (Costa Rica), Number One Betting Shop (Australia), Sportsbook (USA) and Sporting Odds (UK) to name a few – making Sportingbet the world’s largest internet gambling group. Sportingbet has revenues exceeding £1 billion and in excess of 1.1m customers from over 150 countries worldwide.
Sportingbet grew to report profits of £103m in year end July 2005.
Employment peaked around 1,000 people and market capitalization of the company reached nearly £2billion.