Match-fixers in Spain have been caught, and it is because they bet on a “phantom” match. That’s because the match was never played.
Match-fixers caught betting on match that never happened
“I fixed a match!” “What was the score?” “Whatever I said it was.”
Richard Sellers
Ponferradina and Fremunde, a pair of lower league teams, were supposed to play a friendly on Monday, but Freamunde played a League Cup match on Sunday night, so the friendly was canceled. But match fixers continued making bets on the match, and sports books continued taking bets.
Federbet, a non-profit organization committed to tracking match-fixing, spotted the irregularity and reported it to league officials, who investigated and also reported it to UEFA and FIFA.
“The LFP’s integrity unit contacted Ponferradina officials who confirmed that the supposed match never took place and that, therefore, it was a fraudulent manipulation of those who placed bets and the sports betting firms,” the LFP said.
“This is not a case of ‘match-fixing’ as such but is one of financial fraud and the LFP’s commitment to legal betting and the protection of clubs makes it obligatory to denounce this case publicly.”
Match-fixing has become an increasingly bigger problem -- or at least a more high profile one -- in recent years, but most match-fixers at least get as far as fixing the match. This time, there was no match to fix and the match-fixers were caught betting on nothing.
These are either the best or worst match-fixers of all-time. Or both. Both.
Via Reuters
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