John Fitzgerald Coates (born January 1970), is an English billionaire businessman and the joint chief executive (CEO) of online gambling company bet365 and joint-chairman of Stoke City.
John Coates | |
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Born | John Fitzgerald Coates January 1970 (age 54) |
Nationality | English |
Education | Bristol University |
Occupation | Businessman |
Known for | Joint CEO of bet365 Joint chairman of Stoke City |
Parent | Peter Coates |
Relatives | Denise Coates (sister) |
John Fitzgerald Coates was born in January 1970,[1] the son of Peter Coates, chairman of Stoke City F.C. and director of Bet365. He attended Bristol University where he studied Law.[2]
Coates started his career as a lawyer. In 2001, after selling some of their father's betting shops to large bookmaker Coral, his sister convinced him to join her in launching bet365.
John and his sister Denise Coates[3] are co-CEOs of UK-based bet365, an online gambling company, of which he owns a quarter.[4]
John helped Denise set-up the Bet365 Foundation in August 2012 and it has donated £100 million[5] to 20 UK charities to help support projects at home and abroad.
In July 2015 Coates was appointed as vice-chairman at Stoke City F.C. where his father is chairman.[6] In September 2020, Coates was appointed as joint-chairman alongside his father.[7]
He is married, with two children, and lives in Stoke-on-Trent.[2]