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Read Full BioA rival manager says he’d “definitely put my chips behind” pro gambler Tony Bloom turning his latest investment, Hearts, into a title-winning soccer club in Scotland.
Bloom has made his fortune through data-driven sports wagering and investments, as well as amassing $3.8 million in poker winnings. His latest venture is to invest in the Scottish Premiership soccer club Hearts.
Bloom paid £9.86 million to obtain a 29% stake in the club this summer, and rival club Livingston’s manager says he would not bet against Hearts having success.
Speaking to the BBC, Livingston manager David Martindale said: “If I was a betting man, I would put my money on Tony Bloom achieving what he said he’s wanting to achieve rather than saying he’s talking ludicrous.
“I’d definitely put my chips behind him because I think he’s shown he can do it.”
Bloom Aims to Build on Past Soccer Success
Bloom has already had success as the owner of other soccer sides. Bloom has been the chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion since 2009 and led the club to the English Premier League in 2017, after a 34-year absence from the top flight of English football.
The club has become a stable presence in the EPL since and finished in the top half of the league in three of the last four seasons. Bloom also became the majority shareholder in Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise in 2018 and saw his investments pay dividends when the club won the top-flight division for the first time in 90 years last season.
With Hearts, Bloom has said he is targeting a title win in the next 10 years, which Martindale believes is within his reach.
“I think he’s given himself a lot of wiggle room by saying 10 years,” he said. “But do I believe that they can achieve that? It would be a stupid man that would bet against it.”
Hearts last won the top-flight title in Scotland in 1960, and the league has been dominated of late by Celtic, who have won 13 of the last 14 titles. Hearts is currently at odds of +2500 to win the title this year, behind Celtic at -333.
Hearts got off to a winning start, beating Aberdeen 2-0 in their opening Premiership fixture. That puts them at the top of the table, although there is a long way to go in the 38-game season.
Multi-Club Ownership Under Scrutiny
Bloom now has significant stakes in three European clubs, and the multi-club ownership model has recently faced scrutiny from the sport’s regulators.
EPL club Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis, officially relinquished control of the club earlier this year when it looked like Forest could qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Marinakis is also the owner of Greek side Olympiakos, which regularly competes in the Champions League.
UEFA rules state that: “No individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.”
Despite officially stepping back from control, Marinakis remains very much in charge of the club and was the first person quoted when the club signed a deal with Bally’s this week. The casino operator will be featured on the front of Forest’s shirt for the upcoming EPL season, before a ban on betting sponsors comes into place for the 2026-27 season.
Brighton and Union Saint-Gilloise have so far avoided playing in the same UEFA competition. Still, if Bloom achieves his dream of winning the Scottish title with Hearts, he may have to find a similar loophole to Marinakis to allow the clubs to compete.
