In 1923, John Moores and two friends began their venture - handing out the first 4,000 Littlewoods Football Pools coupons outside Manchester United's Old Trafford. A year later, John's faith in the then loss making business ensued and he bought his friends out - a decision that went on to make him a billionaire and earn him a knighthood.

By the 1930s, playing The Pools was a national pastime with millions soon taking part. Listening for the results on the radio and then later watching them on TV was the Saturday afternoon activity that many families anticipated, full of hope that this would be their week.

From the 1930s, life changing sums of money were handed out, often accompanied by a host of high profile celebrities. Winning cheques have crossed the hands of more than 60 million people, from £1000 to Stoke pottery worker Edwin Dodd in 1934 to the £1,000,000 payout in 1986. And, of course, not forgetting Keith Nicholson's renowned £152,319 win in 1962 (a figure that would be worth over £2.2 million in today's money). But it was back in Manchester where The Pools began that saw the biggest ever pools win - the Yew Tree Syndicate in Worsley, Manchester who scooped £2,924,622.60.

During World War II, Littlewoods turned into a parachute making operation when John and Cecil Moores offered the Littlewoods building to the government.

With icebergs floating down the Mersey and no Saturday football, the winter of 1962/63 saw sub-zero temperatures play havoc with British football and the Pools results. Littlewoods needed results for their customers and so the Pools Panel was born.

On 26 January 1963, the panel of former players and referees provided expert opinion on 52 of the 55 postponed games that week.The panel continues to sit every week with World Cup winners Gordon Banks and Roger Hunt and Scotland international Tony Green making the decisions that could make someone a fortune.

As the business developed so did the games and in 1973 Spot the Ball launched as a weekly game, quickly becoming another favourite of the British public.

In 1994, Littlewoods Football Pools became the first company to sponsor the FA Cup competition. This followed the company's sponsorship of the League Cup which began in 1986.

Later, following the Government's introduction of the National Lottery in 1994, which had a massive impact on the pools business, Littlewoods Football Pools launched its own Lotto game in 2001 - now played by over 80,000.

The acquisition of Vernons and Zetters has led to the launch of The New Football Pools in August 2008