FAI move to stamp out dodgy betting patterns

[Raheny Red]

FAI move to stamp out dodgy betting patterns

By Daniel McDonnell
Wednesday October 31 2007


The race to replace Steve Staunton will have one guaranteed winner and that's not whoever the new gaffer may be. Instead, it's the bookmakers who will be rolling in the cash, as numerous false trails result in the placing of substantial bets on the wrong candidates.


Whether you like it or not, gambling and football are now intrinsically linked.

They always have been, in many respects, but are now more so than ever, in this era of advanced communications. In this country, recognition of that fact was formalised earlier this month, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the FAI and leading exchange firm Betfair.

Remarkably, it is the first MoU signed with a regulatory body outside of horse racing, with the GAA previously refusing a request from Betfair to sign a similar deal.

What the new arrangement provides is a two-way flow of information, allowing the FAI to request from Betfair information on betting activity and, in return, allows Betfair to inform the FAI of information which it believes represents a threat to the integrity of the sport.

That will mean being able to provide names and addresses of those who placed bets on a fixture which prompts suspicion within football circles.

It is the 29th MoU that Betfair have signed worldwide, with the English FA another body that they have a non-commercial arrangement with.

The ramifications for the Eircom League are potentially interesting. There's as much hearsay and conjecture going around about stories of punting within the domestic game as there is about Stephen Ireland's private life.

Gambling on football here has taken on an entirely different dimension with the onset of frequently televised games. A quick scan of the internet will lead you to a slightly unusual website where punters from Asia debate the idiosyncrasies of League of Ireland clubs.

Increase

"Irish football is trading very well for us now," says Eoin Ryan of Betfair. "With the live televised games on Setanta sometimes being shown in the UK, then the money being staked on some games has increased significantly."

The facts bear that out. For example, the Setanta Cup clash between St Patrick's Athletic and Drogheda United in May saw €1.3m traded on the outcome. When you consider that some clubs in the league do not even have an annual turnover near that amount then it is a staggering figure.

And that is why there is an increased need to add integrity to the changing climate. There have been no games thus far that have merited any investigation, although earlier this year bookmakers were stung by an avalanche of bets on Shamrock Rovers to beat what was essentially an U-21 Drogheda side in the League Cup.

However, there has been concern expressed at the temptation available to players in the lower rungs of the league in a climate where single betting is an option on every game in the Premier Division and First. Previously, betting on domestic football was restricted to trebles and accumulators, thus removing the possibility of individual clashes being manipulated.

"I would be opposed to single betting being available on every game," says Stephen McGuinness of the PFAI. "Particularly in the First Division where you have some amateur players and other guys on just €50 or €100 a week.
"It puts them in a situation where there is more money to be earned from betting on the outcome of a game," he adds.

"Certainly, we would not encourage any of our members to bet on games where they are involved and we would remove anyone from our union if they were found to be guilty of anything suspicious in that regard."

They haven't had reason to as yet, and hope that will remain the case.

Yet the growing nature of the gambling industry in tandem with the betting culture which exists within football mean that the issue is always likely to be bubbling under the surface.

For the FAI, the signing of an MoU represents progress and closes one potential avenue for ill-behaviour. But it still can't stop an unknown player strolling into his local bookies and putting his money down, or giving it to a friend to do the same. It's the same the world over.

There are numerous anecdotes that point to an inevitable conclusion. Regulation on insider trading within football is welcome.

Gaining complete control, on the other hand, will be absolutely impossible.

- Daniel McDonnell

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...s-1208561.html

[The Rebel Ram]

Douglas Hall players made a nice killing at the bookies this year when they got 7-1 odds on beating Ramblers in the cup, which they did.
They still have to go out and produce the goods though.
Gonna be hard to track though, very easy for a third party to place the bet for them...........

[pineapple stu]

No problems betting on yourself to win.

[jebus]

Last season I was doing a few bets and an Asian guy in front of me in the queue put what looked like a very large sum of money (quite a few 50s) on Spurs to beat West Ham 4-3 at whatever high odds he got. Low and behold Spurs won 4-3. Opened my eyes to what might be going on in the beautiful game I can tell you

[el punter]

An endorsement of Betfair from the FAI, a fine marketing move on behalf of the betting exchange as it makes them look more legitimate than most to the public seeing as they are now endorsed by the official body.

It's a non story, nothing more than a self lauding press release really.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Does anyone know if the FAI are in a position to benefit from the amount of betting taking place on the Eircom League of Ireland overseas?
I am thinking in terms of licencing fees for use of fixtures that sort of thing. If the gambling was pools related I know the pools company have to pay for the use of fixtures. I have spent a lot of time in the Czech Republic in recent years and they have ads for bookies , in the local papers, and I have seen Eircom League Premier Division fixtures featured in Czech bookies advertisements. I believe our games are bet on in other neighbouring countries into the bargain. This is a potential source of revenue , if as I asked earlier, there is a licence fee required for use of fixtures as is the case with pools.

In addition there could be money from the English Red Tops advertisers if we could get our fixtures featured during the summer , instead of Australian soccer , in the papers.

[el punter]

Every betting office including Irish ones has to pay a licence for publishing the English and Scottish football league fixtures.

For some reason neither the FAI, GAA, nor GPA to the best of my knowledge have not persued this as a form of revenue.

Reaching a 'Memorandum of Understanding' with regard to that would be of benefit to Irish football.

[Dotsy]

We found a bookies in Bratislava that was taking bets on the Eircom league.

[JC_GUFC]

Did you find one that would pay out if you won?!

[Jerry The Saint]

What the new arrangement provides is a two-way flow of information

allowing the FAI to request from Betfair information on betting activity

Betfair -> FAI

and, in return, allows Betfair to inform the FAI of information which it believes represents a threat to the integrity of the sport.

Betfair -> FAI

Two-way

As was said, the FAI proivdes betfair with some nice publicity. My advice is to stick to Paddy Power .

[jebus]

We found a bookies in Bratislava that was taking bets on the Eircom league.

Christ can you imagine if they were relying on Aertel to clarify the scores?

"Congratulations Sir, the five match accumulator results have just come in, you've just won 20,000euro"

"Woohoo!"

"Sorry Sir, there has been a correction, you know owe us both your thumbs"

"Damn"

[btid1]

Christ can you imagine if they were relying on Aertel to clarify the scores?

"Congratulations Sir, the five match accumulator results have just come in, you've just won 20,000euro"

"Woohoo!"

"Sorry Sir, there has been a correction, you know owe us both your thumbs"

"Damn"

Quality

[osarusan]

We found a bookies in Bratislava that was taking bets on the Eircom league.

Think of the odds you'd get on Limerick to score 37 goals.

[el punter]

It's pi$$ poor from the Irish Independent also (no surprise of course).

The headline suggests that there ARE dodgy betting patterns in existence which require stamping out. I am not aware this is the case, nor have I ever heard anyone claim it is. There's nothing in the article citing a dodgy betting pattern. It only refers to some bookies who were asleep when everyone who watches the league knew that Drogs were going to field an understrength side.

The FAI could sue the Indo, there's a source of revenue for ya

[Dodge]

The FAI could sue the Indo, there's a source of revenue for ya

Why would it sue the paper it has most in its back pocket? Gerry McDermott is a two faced ****

[bholg]

I wonder will any FAI staff be logging on to betfair during the run in to the eventual new international manager selection....

thats some dodgy betting

[Raheny Red]

Christ can you imagine if they were relying on Aertel to clarify the scores?

That actually got me thinking the other day, with bookies who enter football bets manually. Aertel put up an incorrect score for a game, but which is a winner on their docket. Head down to the bookies first thing in the morning and tell the assistants that the result can be found on the Aertel text. They get paid out then change the score when back at the office very far fetched I know but Aertel if your reading this PM me

[Scram]

Last season I was doing a few bets and an Asian guy in front of me in the queue put what looked like a very large sum of money (quite a few 50s) on Spurs to beat West Ham 4-3 at whatever high odds he got. Low and behold Spurs won 4-3. Opened my eyes to what might be going on in the beautiful game I can tell you

Did he have a disability?........if so he must have backed them with the Asian Handicap.

[Larry 'da' Wyse]

I've spotted a few Asian lads in Dalymount from time to time on the blower giving a running commentary on the game for the full 90mins. I presume it is for some 'in running' website.

[GuisaSaigon]

Piece in today's Sunday Mirror claiming there is evidence of irregular betting patterns across the country for the recent game between Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers. They claim the bookies were taken for €100,000. Paddy Power apparently suspended betting on the game 1 hour before kick off.
The report doesn't seem to imply that any match fixing took place but says it was likely to have been the work of an organised syndacate.