1923 - Littlewoods Pool Marks its Debut

An advert for ‘Littlewoods’, the football pools company is on the side of the bus in 1950s London. AOP

The three friends launch the Littlewoods Football Pool on the 1st of February after Hughes acquires one of Barnard’s pool coupons. The scheme remains the same as that of Barnard’s brainchild. The trio rent a small office in Liverpool, printing their first 4000 coupons. Moores, helped by some youngsters, tries to sell them outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground before a Saturday match due that winter. Only 35 coupons return for a bet value of £4 7s 6d (£4.37½). The 10% deducted fails to cover the expenses post which, they print 10000 coupons, hand them out in Hull before a big match and get back only one.