Billionaire Gamblester Tony Bloom Denies Owing Millions, Citing 'Express Term' of Agreement
In a surprise move, Tony Bloom, billionaire owner of Brighton & Hove Albion football club, has denied owing millions of pounds to former colleague Ryan Dudfield. The claim comes in response to a high court document filed by Bloom's syndicate, which revealed that it placed millions of pounds worth of bets through the gambling accounts of Reform UK adviser George Cottrell.
According to the agreement, Dudfield and Cottrell were entitled to a 40% share, while Bloom's syndicate was due a 60% cut. The syndicate reportedly made millions of dollars from betting using accounts in Cottrell's name, with net winnings ranging from $3.7m to $2.4m between August and October 2025.
However, Bloom's defence maintains that Dudfield received a £60,000 "nuisance payment" in July 2023 to settle any claims he had against him, having already cashed out his position in December 2022. The defence also argues that there was no obligation for Bloom to pay Dudfield, as the agreement only covered claims against him.
The dispute has shed light on the secretive world of high-stakes betting operations, with Bloom's syndicate reportedly generating £600m annually. However, the defence disputes this figure, claiming it is an "exaggeration".
One point of contention between the parties is whether the agreement covered a wide range of Cottrell's betting accounts. According to Bloom's court document, only one account belonging to Cottrell was used before Dudfield cashed out. The defence also denies using so-called "exotic accounts" that use other people's identities.
The high-profile nature of the dispute has raised questions about the role of "whales" – successful gamblers who are often deployed to place bets on their behalf. However, Bloom maintains that his syndicate did not require such accounts and most of its betting does not involve their use.
As the dispute continues, Cottrell's lawyers have declined to comment, citing the client's reluctance to discuss the matter in public. Dudfield and Bloom also refused to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings.
In a surprise move, Tony Bloom, billionaire owner of Brighton & Hove Albion football club, has denied owing millions of pounds to former colleague Ryan Dudfield. The claim comes in response to a high court document filed by Bloom's syndicate, which revealed that it placed millions of pounds worth of bets through the gambling accounts of Reform UK adviser George Cottrell.
According to the agreement, Dudfield and Cottrell were entitled to a 40% share, while Bloom's syndicate was due a 60% cut. The syndicate reportedly made millions of dollars from betting using accounts in Cottrell's name, with net winnings ranging from $3.7m to $2.4m between August and October 2025.
However, Bloom's defence maintains that Dudfield received a £60,000 "nuisance payment" in July 2023 to settle any claims he had against him, having already cashed out his position in December 2022. The defence also argues that there was no obligation for Bloom to pay Dudfield, as the agreement only covered claims against him.
The dispute has shed light on the secretive world of high-stakes betting operations, with Bloom's syndicate reportedly generating £600m annually. However, the defence disputes this figure, claiming it is an "exaggeration".
One point of contention between the parties is whether the agreement covered a wide range of Cottrell's betting accounts. According to Bloom's court document, only one account belonging to Cottrell was used before Dudfield cashed out. The defence also denies using so-called "exotic accounts" that use other people's identities.
The high-profile nature of the dispute has raised questions about the role of "whales" – successful gamblers who are often deployed to place bets on their behalf. However, Bloom maintains that his syndicate did not require such accounts and most of its betting does not involve their use.
As the dispute continues, Cottrell's lawyers have declined to comment, citing the client's reluctance to discuss the matter in public. Dudfield and Bloom also refused to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings.
. I don't think it's fair that he's denying owing millions to Ryan Dudfield though - if the guy cashed out in December 2022 and already got a £60k payout, why wouldn't Bloom pay him the rest? It seems like there's some shady business going on here... 
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this whole thing is wild, right? so bloom is denying owing millions because he gave dudfield a £60k "nuisance payment" back in 2023... but if that's really all he owes him, then why are they fighting over it now? 
and I'm low-key glad the court document is out, even if it does show bloom's syndicate making some serious cash off cottrell's accounts. $3.7m to $2.4m in net winnings between august and october 2025... that's a whole lot of money 
. Tony Bloom is literally denying millions of pounds owed to his former colleague Ryan Dudfield, claiming a "nuisance payment" made it all good 
. Like, come on man, £60k isn't gonna cut it when you're talking about tens of millions on the line 
and now he's trying to spin it as if his ex-colleague Ryan Dudfield just got a sweet little "nuisance payment" 
. And let's not forget the shady world of high-stakes betting ops - sounds like a real mess 
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. The fact that Tony Bloom is denying owing millions to Ryan Dudfield just doesn't add up. I mean, you've got a billion-dollar syndicate making millions from betting in George Cottrell's name, and suddenly there's a £60k "nuisance payment" to settle any claims? It sounds like they're trying to sweep something under the rug 
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anyway, so apparently this Tony Bloom guy is making a lot of money from betting and stuff, but I don't think that's really my concern... can someone explain to me how online betting works again? 
I'm all about fairness and accountability, so if there's some kind of deal where someone gets paid off in exchange for keeping quiet, that doesn't sit right with me.
. Maybe we'll get some answers about what's really going on behind the scenes 
, I was thinking of building my own house by the ocean one day... it'd be so chill having a pool and everything 
. But anyway, this whole betting thing with Tony Bloom and Ryan Dudfield is kinda wild... like, what's the point of using other people's identities to place bets? It sounds super sketchy 
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. I don't trust that either side is being entirely honest about what went down.
Right? But apparently, this is how some high-stakes gamblers do business 
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. I mean, isn't transparency supposed to be a thing in business? Apparently not for these guys 
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