Ludovic "Ludo" Bagman

He was formerly a highly successful Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps, making him a celebrity, and later became the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports in the Ministry of Magic. Today his good looks have gone a bit to seed; his nose is squashed in (apparently having been broken by a stray bludger) and he is quite a bit thicker around the middle than he was in his quidditch days. Ludo appears to be a jovial if absent-minded man, with perhaps a hint of too many Bludgers to the head as well. He was accused of being a Death Eater about 13 years before Goblet of Fire, having unknowingly (and unwittingly) given information to a real one, but was subsequently acquitted.

Bagman loved gambling, which got him in financial trouble so severe that he paid some of his creditors (such as Fred and George Weasley and the father of Lee Jordan) with disappearing Leprechaun Gold, after they had gambled on the Quidditch World Cup. After the World Cup final, some goblins—his worst and most enthusiastic creditors—cornered him in the woods outside the stadium, took all the gold he had on him, and it still didn't cover all his debts. His behaviour towards those demanding their money worsened as the situation did, which may indicate that his good-natured demeanour is a façade, or that he doesn't respond well to pressure. Fred and George continously wrote to him about their lost money, and while he was at Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament, they tried to talk with him, but he ignored them or made an excuse to get away from them. Fred and George claim that he eventually "turned pretty nasty" - he told them they were too young to be gambling and he wouldn't give them their winnings, or return their original bet.

To clear his debts with the goblins, Bagman made a bet on the Triwizard Tournament (he was one of the Tournament's judges). He bet the goblins that Harry Potter would win. He tried to help Harry over the course of the Tournament, giving him a perfect score in the First Task even though he was injured, and offering him advice. Harry did win the Tournament (tying with Cedric Diggory since they both finished the Third Task together and had equal points from the first two), but Bagman didn't win the bet: the goblins argued that Harry had tied with Cedric Diggory, and Bagman was betting he would win outright. Bagman ran away after the Third Task of the Tournament and his current whereabouts are unknown - we know that he has not yet repaid his debts to the goblins.

As with many J. K. Rowling characters, Bagman's name gives clues to his nature. Ludo in Latin means "I play games", and a bagman is one who engages in extortion or racketeering.