Siblings Denise and John Coates came from a family of bookies, helping to manage their father’s small chain of betting shops when the industry was still paper and half-length pen. Then, in 2000, Denise reportedly purchased the domain bet365.com for roughly £19,000 from eBay, and the duo launched the online platform one year later – just after the dot-com bubble had burst.

Flash in the pan this was not, however. The shared vision to create a trusted, tech-driven betting experience has since made bet365 one of the industry's biggest names. Co-CEO and ‘maths whizz’ Denise led development of the company's proprietary software – including its pioneering in-play betting markets – as well as the brand’s affiliate programme, today a key driver for the business. As co-CEO, John has steered the business through complex global markets, resulting in licenses in 21 countries across four continents.

One of the few female founders and co-founders to feature in this list, Denise is also one of the UK’s highest-paid executives. She was made a CBE in 2012 and is known for her philanthropy through the Denise Coates Foundation.

Today, bet365 employs around 10,000 people worldwide, but in its owners’ eyes it’s still very much a local success story. Still headquartered in Stoke-on-Trent where the family business first began (John is also the owner of Stoke City FC), this dot-com bet has certainly paid off.