Colossus Bets attacked by UK gambling reform group

The Gambling Reform & Society Perception action group in the UK attacked betting firm Colossus Bets over the weekend, criticising frontman and investor, former England football star Michael Owen (36), for his involvement in a company where the chances of winning the major prize are allegedly a trillion to one.

Spokesman Eugene Farrar said: “I think it’s entirely irresponsible on Owen’s part given that he is a role model. The National Lottery is deemed as being almost impossible with odds of 45 million to one. His bet makes the Lotto look like an odds on favourite.”

Colossus offers the opportunity for punters who correctly predict seven correct match results to win up to GBP10 million on a GBP2 accumulator bet. Gambling Reform & Society Perception claims that a sequence of unlikely scores at the astronomical odds — equal to a thousand billion — would have to happen to land the jackpot.

BT Sports pundit Owen has hailed Colossus as an “incredibly attractive” game, the group told The Sun newspaper, which reports that according to company accounts Owen Promotions, which the former football professional runs with his parents, has a GBP 26,500 stake in Colossus.

Colossus and a spokesman for Owen declined to comment when approached by the newspaper.