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Stoke-on-Trent—Online gambling powerhouse Bet365 is at the center of intense takeover and listing speculation after reports revealed that the founding Coates family is considering strategic options that could value the privately held sportsbook at up to £9 billion ($12 billion) and pave the way for either a blockbuster sale or a New York IPO. Sources familiar with the talks say investment banks have been sounding out interest from U.S. gaming giants, private-equity funds and listed rivals such as Flutter and DraftKings, all eager to tap Bet365’s coveted in-house tech stack, 90-million-strong customer base and dominant in-play betting product. Industry analysts point to rising regulatory costs in the U.K. and rapid liberalization of U.S. sports wagering as pivotal factors pushing Bet365 toward a liquidity event. Denise Coates, Bet365’s billionaire founder who still controls roughly 58 percent of the business, would pocket more than £5 billion if a full sale proceeds, capping one of Britain’s most remarkable tech fortunes. Her 2024 compensation package of £270 million already made her the country’s highest-paid executive for a fourth straight year, underscoring the company’s prodigious cash generation. US expansion and fresh bonus surge While M&A chatter swirls, Bet365 is accelerating its American rollout, quietly launching in Kentucky and North Carolina and teasing further entries into Louisiana and Maryland ahead of the NFL preseason. Aggressive welcome offers—currently advertised as “bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets” or a “$1,000 first-bet safety net”—have vaulted the brand into the top-five download charts in newly regulated states, according to app-analytics firm Sensor Tower. Google search interest for “Bet365 bonus code” hit a 12-month high this week as the Stanley Cup Final and Yankees–Red Sox rivalry fueled sign-ups. Partnerships beyond the big four sports In a bid to differentiate, Bet365 has also inked a global wagering alliance with SailGP, bringing real-time odds and micro-betting markets to the high-velocity sailing circuit beginning with the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix—an event that drew a record 21.1 million TV viewers in February. The deal underscores Bet365’s push into niche and emerging sports that deliver year-round content. Regulatory overhang and valuation debate Potential buyers must weigh looming U.K. affordability checks, tougher ad rules and tightening European tax regimes. Yet Bet365’s proprietary trading platform, market-leading same-game parlay tool and data-rich risk engine remain highly prized assets that competitors would struggle to replicate organically. JPMorgan analysts estimate the business could command a multiple of 10–12× EBITDA, implying an enterprise value between £8 billion and £11 billion, slightly above the £9 billion midpoint flagged in early discussions. What’s next Bankers expect first-round bids or an IPO registration statement as early as late summer. Until then, Bet365 is likely to keep sweetening U.S. promos and expanding its live-streaming catalogue to lock in share. For punters, little will change in the short term, but for investors the most closely watched race in global gambling has just begun.