Tony Bloom Gambling to Keep Brighton in Premier League

Home » Poker News » Tony Bloom Gambling to Keep Brighton in Premier League

Saturday, September 9th, 2017 | Written by Shane Larson

Tony Bloom has been hailed as one of the top poker players in the world, and over the years has mixed it up at the tables against such greats a Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu. Although the exact amount of wealth he has acquired through his poker, sportsbetting and gambling enterprises is not known, the notoriously private gambler is believed to be a billionaire.

After all of his success, though, Bloom is now gambling in a whole new way–on the Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. And not as a sports bettor either. Instead, Bloom serves as the Chair and owner of the team, and is betting big on keeping his side in the Premier League. In fact, since acquiring Brighton, Bloom has already invested more than £200 million in the club.

Gambling Past

The 47-year-old has been gambling since he was 15, and he has loved football for just as long. His grandfather was the vice Chairman of Brighton and was fond of horse and dog racing. As a result, Bloom credits the man as the source of his gambling genes, with Bloom having attended games alongside his father and grandfather, sitting in the luxurious director’s box throughout the action.

“My grandad Harry who was vice chairman [of Brighton] for all of the 1970s, he had a big interest in betting,” explains Bloom, “but more horse racing and dogs, betting on football wasn’t really around when he was growing up. I think that comes down genetically to some extent so I probably get it from him. I bet on Brighton occasionally growing up. To be quite clear, that was when I had no involvement!”

As the owner, he now travels by train to watch the team play in the stands alongside other players, and has said that’s the way he prefers to see the club.

Brighton Acquisition

Bloom purchased Brighton 11 years ago from Dick Knight, using money from his gambling winnings and from the founding of Premier Bet. He then invested in funds for a new stadium and practice facility, all with one goal in mind–getting the team up to standards so they could be admitted into the Premier League. That in and of itself was quite the gamble, as there was no guarantee that his efforts would be successful.

The investments meant that Brighton operated in the red for two years straight, but posting losses of £25 to £30 million per year did not phase Bloom. As a seasoned gambler, he weighed the potential of risk and reward and decided it was worth the bet.

Checkered Past

Brighton has had struggles on the field as well. Injuries reduced the team to a bare bones lineup at one point, and a few years back the team was at the very bottom of the rankings of League One. Still, the football club has since rebounded, and for three years, Brighton has reached the top tier of the Championship league, and although they did not get promoted automatically, after several attempts, it was still quite a feat.

That all changed at the end of last season, and now that Brighton is a part of the Premier League, the gamble is far from over. In fact, many feel that the odds of the team staying up and remaining competitive are low. Bloom does not seem to be concerned, though. Much as he does at the poker tables, he remains focused on the win and isn’t letting the speculation and risk shake his confidence. Only time will tell if he and his football club can beat the odds, but with Bloom’s mix of well-calculated strategy and gambler’s luck, those who want to bet against him may wish to think twice.

Story So Far

As of September 9th, Brighton are currently lying at number 17 in the Premier League on just 1 point, having secured one draw and no wins from three games. It still early days, though, and Brighton’s initial games have been against tough opposition, including Manchester City and Leicester. Bloom will therefore be hoping that his team will be able to quickly adapt to the highly competitive and skilled environment of the Premier League and start notching up a few wins, especially as his side starts facing teams that they have a more reasonable chance of scoring a result against.

In other words, a teams success often depends upon just small margins, as highlighted by the fact for three seasons Brighton reached the play-offs, but ultimately failed to qualify after losing at the last hurdle. Just like in the past, Brighton may be facing long odds of success in one of the world’s most competitive leagues, but through the determination they have shown in the past, Bloom is hopeful that his team will still be there come the beginning of next season.