Calvin Ayre, the maverick founder of Bodog, didn’t start life amid billion-dollar business plans or exotic islands. His story begins on a humble pig farm near Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, before his family moved to Grandview Bench, near Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Long before he became a billionaire, Calvin was a schoolkid who loved hockey, skiing, and proudly drove a 1969 Chevy pickup to sell fruit—his very first hustle.
Academically gifted, Calvin earned three scholarships and ultimately graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo. While in college, he tapped into his entrepreneurial instincts by organizing party trips to Cuba. His educational journey continued with an MBA from City University of Seattle in 1989.
But it was in Vancouver where his billion-dollar idea was born. While working in commercial real estate, Calvin saw the potential of the internet and taught himself network design. In 1996, he started a tech support company in Costa Rica. By 2000, he had launched Bodog, an online gambling brand born out of a late-night brainstorm for a name that was short, catchy, and unique.
Bodog wasn’t just a platform—it was a lifestyle. Calvin crafted a bold, bad-boy image, complete with celebrity parties, lavish events, and a media presence that landed him on the cover of Forbes in 2006. When U.S. laws cracked down on online gambling, Calvin pivoted Bodog’s operations globally, staying one step ahead of regulators.
Now based in Antigua, Calvin has shifted gears. Inspired by the likes of Richard Branson, he’s expanded the Bodog brand into music, real estate, TV, cryptocurrency, and martial arts. His latest venture, Metanet, promises to reinvent the internet using blockchain to eliminate middlemen and streamline micropayments.
Though he has properties worldwide, one of Calvin’s proudest creations sits on 73 acres in Sunnybrae, B.C.—a $22 million estate known as Fighting Dog Ranch. Despite investing heavily in its design and development, he only spent four weeks there. Now up for sale, the estate features 11 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, private beaches, and could soon become a corporate getaway or boutique hotel.
Beyond business, Calvin’s heart lies in philanthropy. Through his foundation, established 15 years ago, he supports emergency response, education, and sports across eight countries. His guiding principle? Functional design and a flair for bold aesthetics inspired by the Jazz Age, Great Gatsby, and Art Deco movements.
When asked for a quote, Calvin responded with characteristic wit: “Take it from a guy who grew up on a pig farm, a pig wearing lipstick is still a pig.”
Stay tuned to Surrey Speak for more bold profiles and backstories.
