Bookmakers love figures, and Betfred's Fred Done is no exception. Consider these for example: Betfred's turnover this year will be around £550 million, £8 million of which will be paid by the 'Bonus King' as premiums to punters. He currently owns 435 shops and another 50 will open in 2004 (that's ten a month) at a cost of £100,000 each, the 450th being a flagship branch in London's Leicester Square.

He currently turns over £1 million a week in the Betfred call centre, with his imminent Betfred.com set to do the same within three years. And he's sponsoring the Betfred Gold Cup - formerly the Whitbread - for £900,000 over three years.