Poker idea wins £65,000 backing

Playing his hand - Steve makes his pitch to the Dragon's Den tycoons

A Wrexham businessman played the right hand when he appeared on BBC's Dragons' Den - he won £65,000 backing to help start a national pub poker league.

Steve Bellis tried on Thursday's show to persuade the panel of tycoons to invest £50,000 in his venture.

But they were so impressed they offered him an unprecedented extra £15,000.

Mr Bellis said: "I was totally unprepared, but it certainly paid off. With hindsight, I think I should have asked for more."

Mr Bellis gave up his own business in the chemical industry to try his hand at setting up the poker league.

"Taken off"

He started the Nuts Poker League in Wrexham in November 2005 after seeing how the idea worked in Canada, while on a trip visiting his father.

I just dipped my foot in the water, but now I'm right up to my neck in it Steve Bellis

Now it is being extended across the UK, including Deeside, Manchester, Watford and London, and he says he has been asked to start a similar system in France.

Donated

He said: "It's really taken off. More than 50 pubs, sports clubs and even a restaurant have signed up and we've got 2,500 players registered.

"I just dipped my foot in the water, but now I'm right up to my neck in it."

Under present laws, it is illegal for entrants to gamble for money, but those with the highest points tally have the chance to compete for prizes in regional finals.

Entrance fees for the final are donated to the Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham.

Dragons' Den sees entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to secure investment finance from the show's "dragons" - a team of elite business entrepreneurs.

A BBC spokesman said it was the first time a competitor had walked off with more money than they asked for.

Mr Bellis plans to use the money to expand the league and take on up to 100 self-employed agents to help run it.