Betting scandal

[Holle]

From http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,662479,00.html

Prosecutors in Germany have revealed the scope of the match-fixing scandal that has shocked European football. Around 200 games are suspected of having been fixed, with more than 30 of those played in Germany.

European football is reeling from news of a fresh match-fixing scandal involving nine countries and up to 200 games.


German prosecutors investigating the manipulation revealed on Friday that 15 people have been arrested in Germany and two in Switzerland. A series of around 50 raids were carried out on Thursday, during which documents, around €1 million in cash and valuables were seized.

At a news conference the prosecutors said that about 200 games were thought to be affected, including three Champions League games and 12 Europa League games. The investigation, carried out with the European football association UEFA, has been ongoing since the beginning of 2009.

The betting scandal involves huge sums of money placed with Asian bookmakers on matches in Europe and players, coaches, referees and officials are included among the suspects. In all around 100 people could be involved in the match-fixing conspiracy.

Fix On in Germany as Well?

Games in at least nine European leagues are being probed, including matches played in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey.

On Thursday Harald Stenger, spokesman for the German Football Federation (DFB), said: "The UEFA and DFB early warning system for the overseeing of the betting markets had not given any indications of match-fixing in Germany."

However, on Friday the prosecutors said that 32 games in Germany alone are suspected of having been fixed. There are indications that four games in the second league, three from the third league and 18 from regional leagues are tainted, as well as matches in the youth leagues and international competitions.

Thursday's arrests included two Croatian brothers, Ante and Milan Sapina, who were at the center of a previous match-fixing scandal in Germany in 2004. That case saw referee Robert Hoyzer sentenced to two years and five months in prison after he admitted to accepting bribes to manipulate games.


What I don't quite understand is how this can be done. Apparently most of the bets made were live bets (I read this somewhere else). How can they intervene in a running match?

 

[Squiggles]

Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.

 

[Holle]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996329#msg996329 date=1258986489]
Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.
[/quote]

Refs obviously have hearing devices. But players? I never noticed anything.

Another interesting fact is that apparently in Asia you have the possibility to bet on lower league games. Matches from the 7th division in Germany have been fixed from what I have heard. Guys like you and me who play football as a hobby have had calls from some strangers who offered them cash for "little mistakes".

 

[Jürgen4PM]

I think Lucas has been gotten to.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Doped White Mouse link=topic=37384.msg996332#msg996332 date=1258986953]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996329#msg996329 date=1258986489]
Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.
[/quote]

Refs obviously have hearing devices. But players? I never noticed anything.

Another interesting fact is that apparently in Asia you have the possibility to bet on lower league games. Matches from the 7th division in Germany have been fixed from what I have heard. Guys like you and me who play football as a hobby have had calls from some strangers who offered them cash for "little mistakes".


[/quote]

It's hard to believe, isn't it?

Would we feel better or worse if it turned out we'd lost our five league games this season on purpose?

 

[Squiggles]

[quote author=Doped White Mouse link=topic=37384.msg996332#msg996332 date=1258986953]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996329#msg996329 date=1258986489]
Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.
[/quote]

Refs obviously have hearing devices. But players? I never noticed anything.

Another interesting fact is that apparently in Asia you have the possibility to bet on lower league games. Matches from the 7th division in Germany have been fixed from what I have heard. Guys like you and me who play football as a hobby have had calls from some strangers who offered them cash for "little mistakes".


[/quote]

Well you wouldn't notice it, would you, or else they wouldn't think they can get away with it. Hearing devices can extremely small nowadays so they fit inside your ear.

If true, it's surely the only way to explain a response to live betting.

 

[Holle]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996374#msg996374 date=1258990405]
[quote author=Doped White Mouse link=topic=37384.msg996332#msg996332 date=1258986953]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996329#msg996329 date=1258986489]
Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.
[/quote]

Refs obviously have hearing devices. But players? I never noticed anything.

Another interesting fact is that apparently in Asia you have the possibility to bet on lower league games. Matches from the 7th division in Germany have been fixed from what I have heard. Guys like you and me who play football as a hobby have had calls from some strangers who offered them cash for "little mistakes".


[/quote]

Well you wouldn't notice it, would you, or else they wouldn't think they can get away with it. Hearing devices can extremely small nowadays so they fit inside your ear.

If true, it's surely the only way to explain a response to live betting.
[/quote]

Or maybe the coaches are involved too.

 

[Squiggles]

Obviously they're involved to.

The report bloody says so.

 

[Holle]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996392#msg996392 date=1258991342]
Obviously they're involved to.

The report bloody says so.
[/quote]

Oh really?

Only coaches and no itsy bitsy teeny weeny hearing devices then?

 

[Squiggles]

Er, what?

You asked a question and start acting mental when I submit a logical answer. You're either a bit mental or a bit of a cunt. I can't be bothered to detect which it is.

 

[FoxForceFive]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996329#msg996329 date=1258986489]
Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.
[/quote]

Not needed. A lot of the bets are for things like first throw in within 2 minutes. You simply twat the ball out when you get it off the kick off & make 500k.

 

[FoxForceFive]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996737#msg996737 date=1259014665]
Er, what?

You asked a question and start acting mental when I submit a logical answer. You're either a bit mental or a bit of a cunt. I can't be bothered to detect which it is.
[/quote]

Calm down mate, no need for the insult. Ta.

 

[Holle]

[quote author=FoxForceFive link=topic=37384.msg996824#msg996824 date=1259018313]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=37384.msg996329#msg996329 date=1258986489]
Players/Coaches/Refs, etc, will have hearing devices within their ear most likely.
[/quote]

Not needed. A lot of the bets are for things like first throw in within 2 minutes. You simply twat the ball out when you get it off the kick off & make 500k.
[/quote]

Lots of bets are also about first yellow card etc. I'm not so sure that the involved players will flat their opponents 45 seconds into the game or so. Or what about bets like 'how many goals between 30:01 and half time'?

Apparently most of the bets were about the goal differences. One Bundesliga match in Austria has catched the eye of investigators when Rapid Vienna beat Red Bull Salzburg 7-0 away. Significant sums were betted on a goal difference of 6+.

 

[Mistadobalina]

The '9 goals in 9 minutes' game in Brazil a couple of weeks ago was some of the worst attempts at cheating ive ever seen.

One defender actually win the ball by mistake and turns back to give it to the striker!