Victor Chandler
Encyclopedia
Victor Chandler is chairman of the company that bears his name, Victor Chandler International
.
Frequently styled ‘The Gentleman Bookmaker’, in 2006 The Racing Post described Chandler as "arguably the most famous bookmaker in the world. He's the Indiana Jones
of bookmaking, the fearless, swashbuckling rails layer who lit up Britain's
racecourses for two decades....the gold prospector who excavated rich new revenue seams internationally, the visionary, the dashing pioneer who turned the industry inside out by upping and moving to Gibraltar in 1998." Outside of the business arena, Chandler was described in The Mail on Sunday
on 22 April 2007 as '...about as far as you can get from the traditional image of a bookie. Charming, modest and a gracious host, he has the air of an archetypal middle-aged English company chairman, and not a trilby in sight.'
, particularly online casinos and poker, as well as being the first to move his gaming business offshore.
In the early 1990s, Victor began to accept fooball wagers from far-eastern clients and, in doing so, he recognised the potential growth in foreign markets. He opened up an office in Antigua to enable these clients to bet without the need to pay UK tax.
In the UK, punters were required to pay a 9% betting tax but, in 1996, Chandler obtained a betting licence in Gibraltar and in 1999 moved his entire business there. Over the next decade the company grew quickly and he now employs over 30 people and is the largest private employer on the Rock. Victor Chandler has offered free betting from £5, and in 2001 the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, announced that he was scrapping UK betting tax, a huge victory for punters.
winner Zaynar, trained by Nicky Henderson
. Zaynar re-appeared on 21 November 2009 at Ascot Racecourse
where he demolished a top-class field in winning the Coral Ascot Hurdle by 6 lengths as reported by the Racing Post. Zaynar was then aimed at the Champion Hurdle, for which he was one of the Ante-Post favourites for the race. After running a galant race Zaynar finished third in the race.
150 million, falling from the previous year's estimation of £365 million.
in June 2008 Victor spoke of his friendship with the artist Lucian Freud
, including the portrait
of Victor which Freud completed which was sold for £4.5m in 2006.
In March 2010 Victor Chandler announced a two-year extension to the Nottingham Forest sponsorship.
Victor Chandler International
Victor Chandler International is one of Britain’s leading independent bookmakers, specialising in online sports betting, casino, poker and games...
.
Frequently styled ‘The Gentleman Bookmaker’, in 2006 The Racing Post described Chandler as "arguably the most famous bookmaker in the world. He's the Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
of bookmaking, the fearless, swashbuckling rails layer who lit up Britain's
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
racecourses for two decades....the gold prospector who excavated rich new revenue seams internationally, the visionary, the dashing pioneer who turned the industry inside out by upping and moving to Gibraltar in 1998." Outside of the business arena, Chandler was described in The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday is a British conservative newspaper, currently published in a tabloid format. First published in 1982 by Lord Rothermere, it became Britain's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper following the closing of The News of the World in July 2011...
on 22 April 2007 as '...about as far as you can get from the traditional image of a bookie. Charming, modest and a gracious host, he has the air of an archetypal middle-aged English company chairman, and not a trilby in sight.'
Off-shore bookmaking
Victor Chundled is often credited as the first bookmaker to recognise the importance of online gamblingOnline gambling
Online gambling, also known as Internet gambling and iGambling, is a general term for gambling using the Internet.-Online poker:Online poker tables commonly offer Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, razz, HORSE and other game types in both tournament and ring game structures...
, particularly online casinos and poker, as well as being the first to move his gaming business offshore.
In the early 1990s, Victor began to accept fooball wagers from far-eastern clients and, in doing so, he recognised the potential growth in foreign markets. He opened up an office in Antigua to enable these clients to bet without the need to pay UK tax.
In the UK, punters were required to pay a 9% betting tax but, in 1996, Chandler obtained a betting licence in Gibraltar and in 1999 moved his entire business there. Over the next decade the company grew quickly and he now employs over 30 people and is the largest private employer on the Rock. Victor Chandler has offered free betting from £5, and in 2001 the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, announced that he was scrapping UK betting tax, a huge victory for punters.
Horse ownership
Chandler has owned many racehorses over the past three decades in UK, South Africa & US. Following some success over the years Chandler formed a syndicate called "Men In Our Position" which owned the 2009 Cheltenham Triumph HurdleTriumph Hurdle
The Triumph Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...
winner Zaynar, trained by Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer twice.Henderson, educated at Eton College, has been a trainer since 1978, based at Seven Barrows near Lambourn, Berkshire...
. Zaynar re-appeared on 21 November 2009 at Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
where he demolished a top-class field in winning the Coral Ascot Hurdle by 6 lengths as reported by the Racing Post. Zaynar was then aimed at the Champion Hurdle, for which he was one of the Ante-Post favourites for the race. After running a galant race Zaynar finished third in the race.
Personal wealth
In the 2009 Sunday Times rich list Chandler was ranked 362nd with a fortune estimated at £Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
150 million, falling from the previous year's estimation of £365 million.
Lucien Freud friendship
In an article in The ObserverThe Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
in June 2008 Victor spoke of his friendship with the artist Lucian Freud
Lucian Freud
Lucian Michael Freud, OM, CH was a British painter. Known chiefly for his thickly impasted portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time...
, including the portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
of Victor which Freud completed which was sold for £4.5m in 2006.
Nottingham Forest
In July 2009 Victor Chandler agreed to become the main sponsor of Nottingham Forest Club for a reported "significant six-figure fee". As part of his sponsorship he offered to pay for the following year's season tickets for Forest Fans who opened an online account should Forest win. Unfortunately no forest fans could afford transport to the matches in the upcoming season. At the time of the offer Forest were rated as 80/1 outsiders to win the league, but after an amazing run of 1 games undefeated, Forest were second in League Two in January 2010 and Chandler claimed Forest winning the league would cost him approximately £6m. After a poor March and April Forest's chances of winning the league receded and they instead qualified for the Football League play-offs where they were eliminated by Blackpool at the semi-final stage because they just were not very good, at all. Viccy is known as a huge Coventry fan.In March 2010 Victor Chandler announced a two-year extension to the Nottingham Forest sponsorship.