Match fixing at the Maplin UK Championship?
December 16, 2008 by mbates
An unusual amount of bets on the first round match of the Maplin UK Championship in Telford had been taken on the match between Stephen Maguire and Jamie Burnett this prompted bookmakers to suspend betting amidst fears of possible match fixing.
A majority of bookmakers had suspended betting on the match 24 hours before the match took place due to the high quantity of bets that were placed on Maguire, the 2004 UK champion, to beat Burnett, a qualifier, 9-3, as the final score.
Cliff Wilds, head of sport for UK betting company Victor Chandler said “When you get accounts opened in Glasgow to bet frame scores, alarm bells go off. We took no money on 9-2 or 9-4 and that set off alarm bells as well. We suspended betting four days ago“. Burnett is from Hamilton, Maguire comes from the Milton district of Glasgow.
Burnett was beaten 9-3 and the Scot missed a black in the 12th frame which would have made it 8-4, he denies any wrongdoing
US elections sees £10 million in bets
November 3, 2008 by mbates
As the world gets ready to welcome the next American president, UK based punters have staked a record £10 million worth of bets on the two horse race, almost four times as much that was bet on the 2004 elections. Obama is currently beating John McCain in the opinion polls by seven points, beating McCain in the key battlegrounds of Florida and Missouri.
The Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has already paid out on Barack Obama on being named as the next US President, however it is still taking bets on the outcome but with Obama having odds of 1/14 you would need to put on a £500 just to win back £35.00 it does not seem to be worth the gamble, as with any betting event - anything can happen, just ask Al Gore, he was destined to be beat Bush in the 2000 US Presidential elections.
A spokesman from the Racing Post said: “The bookmakers have never seen such a high level of interest in an American Presidential Election, Obama has caught the hearts and minds of British punters and could turn out to be the most popular president on these shores since JFK. ”
The election results are expected to be announced early on Wednesday morning, the results will be shown live on the BBC News 24 and Sky News.
Paddy Power pay out on Obama as next President of USA
October 16, 2008 by mbates
Paddy Power have today paid out on all backers of Barack Obama as the forty fourth President of the United States of America following the conclusion of the Presidential debate in New York.
The shock move comes a full three weeks before the 4th November election day and sees Paddy Power paying out over one million Euros in winning bets. Prior to the payout Barack Obama was virtually unbackable with odds of 1-9. A spokesperson for Paddy Power said “We declare this race well and truly over and congratulate all those who backed Obama, your winnings await you”
Despite the massive payout of today. Paddy Power is still offering betting right up to election day, Barack Obama’s rival in the presidential stakes John McCain is currently showing odds of 5.1.
William Hill closes book on X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing
October 9, 2008 by mbates
William Hill have stopped taking bets on which show out of the X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing will come top in the TV ratings this weekend following a large amount of bets being placed on the X Factor. A spokesperson for William Hill said “Strictly is on at the same time as England’s World Cup qualifier and is bound to suffer as a result. We also feel that to gain brownie points, long suffering football widows will be allowed to watch the X Factor in peace after the football finishes,”
William Hill are making the group Girlband the favourite to be the first band to be voted off the X Factor, live betting will be available throughout the show.
X Factor First Elimination Odds:
- 9/4 Girlband
- 7/2 Scott Bruton
- 5/1 Bad Lashes
- 6/1 Danny Evans
- 8/1 Ruth Lorenzo
- 12/1 JLS
- 16/1 Rachel Hylton, Eoghan Quigg, Diana Vickers
- 33/1 Austin Drage
- 40/1 Laura White, Alexandra Burke
Paddy Power shortens US election postponement odds
October 8, 2008 by mbates
Paddy Power has reduced the odds for the US Presidential Election to be postponed from 66/1 to 40/1 due to the current economic crisis that is gripping the States.
With just over €1000 being placed on the November election being moved until 2009 Paddy Power spokesperson Sharon McHugh said: “It would be astonishing if the US Election were to be postponed. Even through the great depression in 1932, World War 2 and a series of other wars since then, US elections have always gone ahead. However, that hasn’t stopped our customers betting on the unthinkable.”
Other betting on the US Election sees Barack Obama has going ahead in the betting, he is now just 1/5 with Paddy Power to succeed Bush as President, while John McCain trails at 10/3 even with the adding of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
