In 1967 aged 24, Done opened his first bookmaker with his brother, which they funded by a win on England's victory in
1966 FIFA World Cup the year before. By the mid-1980s, they had more than 70 bookmaking shops. In 1983, Done founded Peninsula Business Services, which has more than 10 companies operating in employment law, workplace health, and
human resources. In 1998, Done paid out early
Manchester United to win the
Premier League title, making him the first bookmaker to pay out early at the end of the season. In 2004, Done's chain of bookmakers was renamed Betfred. In 2018, Done made an investment in
Adzooma, an online advertising platform based in
Nottingham, UK. In 2020, Done invested in GGRecon, an
esports publisher based in
Manchester, UK. In 2021, Done stepped down as the chief executive of Betfred and took up the role of chairman. In 2023, the
Sunday Times Rich List estimated Done's net worth to be £1.87 billion. According to the Sunday Times Rich List in May 2025, his and his family's net worth is £2.915 billion. In February 2026, Fred Done was listed on the Sunday Times Tax list with an estimated £401.1 million.
Property investments In 2014, Done, along with Simon Ismail, established
Salboy, a Manchester-based property development company. Since its founding, Salboy has developed a number of notable schemes, including
Viadux, which will eventually contain the tallest building in Manchester at 245 meters. The company is also developing the
St Michaels project alongside
Gary Neville and his company Relentless, which is due to complete in 2027. The construction wing of Salboy, Domis Construction Ltd is partially owned by Done's brother, Peter, and has worked on every Salboy project to date. ==References==