Brighton Owner Tony Bloom Denies Millions Owed in High-Stakes Betting Dispute
The billionaire owner of Brighton & Hove Albion football club, Tony Bloom, has confirmed in legal documents that his betting syndicate placed millions of pounds worth of bets through the gambling accounts of Reform UK adviser George Cottrell. However, Bloom strongly denies owing any further millions to his former colleague, Ryan Dudfield, who is pursuing a lawsuit against him.
Legal Battle Over Betting Arrangement
In a defence filed to the high court, Bloom admits that he, Cottrell, and former employee Ryan Dudfield had an agreement under which winnings were to be split between them. The syndicate placed bets through accounts in Cottrell's name, described as a 'hedging account' with the gambling platform Sportsbet.io. According to the arrangement, Bloom's syndicate was entitled to a 60% share, with Dudfield and Cottrell receiving 40% between them, specifically 7% and 33% respectively.
Bloom's legal defence states that from August to December 2022 alone, the syndicate made $3.7 million in net winnings using Cottrell's accounts. The betting continued through October 2025, garnering another $2.4 million in net winnings. Despite these substantial sums, Bloom claims Dudfield is not owed any further share of the millions made from this arrangement.
Dispute Over Settlement and Payments
A key point of contention revolves around a £60,000 'nuisance payment' made to Dudfield in July 2023. Bloom's defence argues this payment was to settle any claims Dudfield had against him, having already 'cashed out' his position in December 2022. The document states: 'The effect of the July 2023 agreement was to settle any and all claims that the claimant may have against Mr Bloom and, accordingly, covered the claims brought in these proceedings.'
Dudfield, however, claims he is owed $17.5 million (£13.1 million) from the betting arrangement. He alleges he believed the arrangement had ended at the close of 2022 because he thought Cottrell had severed ties with Bloom's syndicate. Bloom counters that Dudfield had no agreement for any fee or commission for business between him and Cottrell after 2022, and that if any money is owed, it is Cottrell's responsibility to pay.
Insight into High-Stakes Betting Operations
The legal dispute has revealed fascinating details about the often-hidden world of high-stakes gambling operations. Bloom, who made his fortune from gambling before becoming majority shareholder and chair of Premier League club Brighton, operates through Starlizard Consulting, which runs the betting syndicate. The court document confirms that multiple third parties were used by Bloom's syndicate to place bets through what are described as 'exotic accounts.'
Bloom does not admit the syndicate is 'secretive' but confirms it maintains 'information barriers' between departments and those who place bets at Starlizard Consulting. The defence acknowledges the operation is 'generally successful' but disputes Dudfield's claim that it generates £600 million a year, calling this an 'exaggeration.'
Background and Previous Arrangements
The court documents reveal that in 2018, after Dudfield left employment at Starlizard Consulting but before the agreement involving Cottrell, he was given £405,000 to settle a debt. This amount was set against his share of future winnings from the syndicate, which only amounted to £102,000. Membership of the syndicate was described as a perk sometimes given to employees, though there are also non-employee members.
Bloom agreed via Ian McAleavy, an employee at StarLizard, to enter into a new agreement with Dudfield in 2022 after Dudfield introduced him to Cottrell. The dispute highlights how high-profile, successful gamblers like Bloom can find themselves effectively shut out of betting sites due to the scale and frequency of their bets, leading to the use of 'whales' like Cottrell to place bets on their behalf.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
Bloom's defence makes several important clarifications regarding the betting accounts used. According to the document, just one account belonging to Cottrell was used before Dudfield 'cashed out,' with five others only used by Bloom afterwards. Bloom denies these include an alleged account at the online betting platform stake.com.
The defence also states there was no 'standard practice' for how the 'exotic accounts' operated and they were not referred to as 'secret.' Bloom does not admit to requiring so-called 'exotic accounts' which use other people's identities, noting that much of his betting does not 'involve the use of such accounts.'
Some allegations, including the use of footballers and businessmen to act as frontmen for the betting syndicate, are not admitted in Bloom's defence. Lawyers acting for Cottrell said when approached last year about Dudfield's legal action: 'Our client is not a party to those proceedings but considers it would be inappropriate for him to comment on them in the media.'
Both Dudfield and Bloom have declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings, which continue to shed light on the substantial financial operations behind one of football's most successful gambling-related fortunes.
