From Professional Gambler to Premier League Club Owner: Incredible Life-Story of Matthew Benham

In football and gambling, few figures are as fascinating as Matthew Benham. Beginning his journey as a professional gambler, Benham has managed to become the owner of an EPL club, all while revolutionizing the way decisions are made in football through his innovative use of data analytics. Let's delve into the life story of this extraordinary individual whose journey is as captivating as it is inspiring. Discover more in our review about the story of Matthew Benham and how he turned his passion for numbers into a successful football enterprise. Let's go!

In May 1968, Matthew Benham was raised in a family of cricket supporters in Eton, where his parents were teachers. An avid fan of Brentford Football Club, Benham attended his first match in 1979 at eleven. His love for numbers was evident from an early age, and he enjoyed mathematics throughout his school years.

At 14, he skipped school with a friend to watch Brentford play an away game against Nottingham Forest FC. This event could be an early indicator of his deep-rooted passion for football. In 1989, he graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in physics. This discipline further honed his analytical skills, which would later serve him well in his gambling and football ventures.

After graduation, Benham worked in the financial sector in the City of London for twelve years. His roles included stints as a hedge fund manager, a derivatives trader for Deutsche Bank, and a vice president at the Bank of America. These experiences deepened his understanding of numbers, risk, and reward as a foundation for future endeavors.

In 2001, Benham entered the gambling industry when Tony Bloom, who later became the owner of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, hired him to work at