From sure bets to sure regrets – wild sports betting scandals
Football, Rugby, Cricket, Golf – whatever the sport, betting is involved. Many of us love having a flutter on different sports, but from time to time, a betting scandal rocks the sporting world.
Today, we are going to look at some of the wildest betting scandals that have hit sports, including cricket, boxing and horse racing. Whether it's players, fans, coaches, or entire teams caught up in the controversy, these stories remind us that in the world of sport, the stakes are always higher than they seem. We take a look at:
Boxing
Of all the world’s most popular sports, boxing arguably tops the list in terms of scandals. Whether it’s a dive, a fixed fight or a dodgy promoter, the supposedly noble art has long been rife with shady characters, dives and corruption. When it comes down to it, money doesn’t just talk in boxing, it often decides who hits the mat.
Let’s take a look at a couple of the most questionable fights in boxing history that rocked the sport.
Lulu Perez vs Willie Pep in 1954
On 26 February 1954 defensive genius and all-time featherweight great Willie Pep hit the deck three times in the second round of his boxing match against Lulu Perez. Immediately, the New York crowd knew something was amiss. Even before the fight, suspicions were raised when bookies abruptly refused to take bets after odds changed significantly.
After being decked for the third time in round 2 an automatic stoppage was forced and met with boos that echoed around Madison Square Garden. Although Pep never admitted to throwing the fight, the fix was plain to see for most. He was suspended by the State Athletic Commission and even lost a 1980 libel suit after the jury deliberated for just 15 minutes.
Sonny Liston vs Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali) in 1965
Voted the fourth greatest sports moment of the twentieth century in a Sports Illustrated poll, the boxing match between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay on 25 May 1965 is best known for that phantom punch.
This was their second fight for the World Heavyweight Championship, after Clay won the first, a huge upset at the time. But, it was this second fight in Lewiston, Maine that would go down in history. Ali won with a first-round knockout, after Liston threw a left jab only for Ali to go over it with a fast right, flooring the former champion. Many observers did not witness the punch being delivered, leading to speculation that Liston took a dive (this has never been proven, however).
Following the fight, suspicions of match fixing were raised, with theories ranging from mob involvement to Liston fearing for his life. 60 years on and it is still unclear whether the fight was fixed, but theories continue to persist, intriguing new generations of boxing fans.
Cricket
Surely, match fixing is “just not cricket”. Well, even the most famous matches in the game’s history are marred by betting controversies.
Sticky wicket scandal at Headingley, 1981
Headingley, 1981 – arguably the most famous cricket match of the twentieth century. Remembered for one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in any sport ever, the third Ashes Test between England and Australia that royal wedding summer looked to be heading one way; an Aussie victory. At one stage the odds of England winning were at an incredible 500-1 – in other words, almost impossible.
Ian Botham had other ideas, scoring a blistering 149 not out before England’s fast bowler Bob Willis skittled out the Australian batting line-up with an incredible 8 for 43. From 500-1, England had won the game by 18 runs. They eventually won the series 3-1.
Big win
Following the game, reports emerged about a betting coup in the Australian camp. According to The Sun newspaper, “two Australian cricket stars allegedly netted £7,500 between them yesterday by backing England to win the Headingley Test”. Placing their bets when the odds were 500-1 against England, 1 player allegedly put £10 on and the other £5.
Although this was initially denied by the Australian team and management, captain Kim Hughes later said that 2 players made the bets simply because the odds were “too good to miss”. Dennis Lillee, Australia speedster, revealed in his autobiography that he had indeed taken up the 500–1 odds confirming the allegations to be true.
Integrity under the microscope
In many cases, like Headingley ‘81, the bets may have been completely innocent and blown out of proportion. That being said, even innocent, albeit eyebrow-raising mistakes can affect how we view our most loved players and teams. Ask yourself if you could forgive your favourite player if they were found guilty of match fixing? It's a reminder of the fine line between admiration and accountability, and how our relationship with sports can be deeply affected by the actions of those we look up to.
Whether the bets affected how two Australians played is up for debate briefly, before ruling out foul play. However, the “Miracle of Headingley ‘81” will forever be tarnished slightly by this gambling controversy.
Rigged rides: horse racing fixes
Horse racing and betting go together like a horse and carriage. Racing plays a key part in our gambling and sporting landscape, from the grand traditions of the English turf to the spectacle of the Kentucky Derby. Today, horse racing continues to captivate audiences around the world, with the betting industry driving the sport and its global appeal.
It will come as no surprise that the sport has experienced many betting scandals over the years, with the 1970s perhaps seeing some of the most infamous controversies.
Big Tony strikes
Anthony Ciulla, also known as ‘Big Tony,’ was an American criminal, convicted of bribing jockeys and fixing countless horse races. During the early 1970s, Ciulla bribed jockeys riding the favourites to slow their horses, so they didn’t finish in the first three places. The result was generally that horses with longer odds would win, resulting in substantial pay-outs. Ciulla later claimed that all states except California were at the mercy of his race fixing. The 'sport of kings' was well and truly tarnished.
Once Ciulla was behind bars, he struck a deal for shorter prison time, testifying against several involved with the race fixing, including a mob boss and a number of jockeys.
The weird world of floodlight scams
Across the Far East, in places like Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, football fans eagerly await the results of English Premier League games. As in the UK, gambling and football go hand in hand in the Far East. However, a small criminal gang took betting scandals to another level, orchestrating a sophisticated scheme to fix football matches.
In 1998, Eng Hwa Lim and Chee Kew Ong visited Charlton Athletic posing as stadium managers interested in security matters. Joined by Wai Yuen Liu, who needed to make money fast to pay growing debts, the three were in cahoots with an illegal Hong Kong betting syndicate to sabotage electrical systems.
The syndicate’s strategy involved tampering with the floodlights to get games abandoned, The plan was to tamper with the Charlton floodlights, causing the game to be abandoned after half-time. In the Far East betting rules determine that if a match is abandoned after half-time bets stand on the score at the time of the abandonment. Incredibly, the trio had previously used this tactic for games played just a few weeks apart at West Ham and Wimbledon.
With millions of pounds wagered in the Far East on Premier League matches, it’s little surprise to see the lengths people go to ensure a big pay-out.
Players betting
Unfortunately, football has been marred by many gambling controversies over the years, from Joey Barton’s 1260 bets over a ten-year period to Daniel Sturridge’s breach of betting rules. We looked at some famous footballing gamblers last year.
We explore betting. ethics and football here, We all need to remember that the integrity of the game is under threat when a betting scandal rears its ugly head.
Touchdown trouble
American Football is no stranger to betting scandals, with a number of players being banned for betting on NFL games. But, as we have seen, proving any wrongdoing in betting can be tricky, so many players are often acquitted of any guilt.
More recently New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte had all charges against him dropped in connection to underage gambling and computer fraud. Boutte was arrested in January for illegally placing bets whilst at Baton Rouge. It was alleged that Boutte placed nigh on 9,000 sports bets in the space of a year, using his mother’s credit card because he was underage at the time.
As Boutte did not place bets on league games and events, he will face no punishment; however, the NFL will enforce closer scrutiny on players and wagering practices moving forward.
And for those struggling…
For those who struggle with a gambling addiction, support is thankfully improving all the time. Industry awareness and support groups are growing, helping those who are in need of help, with organisations now offering more accessible resources, counselling services, and intervention programs, providing a crucial network of support.