Gambling Blog

While they have already managed to cut off much of the supply line for the illegal gambling on Asian Football, Interpol are coming back for more with news that they are putting together a second swoop on racketeers in the area who are involved in illegal gambling as well as possible match fixing. 

While the first raid last June saw 423 arrests across China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam there are already plans well under way to mop up the remaining illegal gambling operations.  It was estimated that at approaching 300 illegal operations were closed down last year, operations which were rumoured to have handled bets to the tune of C$680 million! As well as closing down the operation the authorities were able to “reclaim” some C$680,000 in cash which has now been confiscated.

So is this just the tip of the iceberg or has the monster been slain?

The problem with gambling in areas such as the Far East is the fact that demand is so high that there will always be a market.  As soon as one illegal betting operation closes down another one opens because the demand is there.  The main reason for the recent raids was the fact that closely linked to illegal gambling has been the “art” of match fixing and corruption.  This is an area which even reached the UK some years ago with one particular football match being exposed as part of a corruption scandal after the lights were tampered with.

The fight against corruption in the gambling industry is an ongoing battle and one which neither side can really claim to have won. While the internet has brought much joy to many it has also given ruthless business people the chance to set-up illegal operations and market to a worldwide audience.  The authorities may have won the last few rounds, the fight still goes on.

Even though we are just approaching the half way point of the football Premiership season, there is much speculation about who will be the next big name to bite the dust.  It seems as though the big money is on the likes of Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce and even Liverpool favourite Benitez parting company with their clubs in the short term.  But why is the turnover of managers so quick?

Despite being in the job for only 8 months “Big Sam” is under extreme pressure even though the club are hovering around the halfway mark in the Premiership table, and Benitez has taken Liverpool into the top four.    Allardyce has felt the full fury of the Newcastle fans who are unhappy at the way the team are playing and the results they have achieved so far – had they actually lost in last weekends FA Cup tie at Stoke then the big man would have been out on his ear already.

Benitez on the other hand has seen his relationship with Liverpool Football Club’s new owners hit rock bottom as he demanded more money for new players in the transfer window, despite spending over £30 million in the last 12 months.  His public statement that he needed new players did not go down well with the US backers and it seems only a matter of time before he is shown the door – expect an announcement in the new year to say that all parties have come to an agreement.

While nobody doubts that Football is a results game, the speed with which managers come and go is unbelievable to say the least.  Newcastle United have had 10 managers and no trophies in the last 22 years, a time when Sir Alex Ferguson has been at the helm of Manchester United throughout – which actually speaks volumes for the direction of the clubs!

While it just does not seem right having a major football tournament with no British representation, that is exactly what will be happening in 2008, with the European Championships.  Despite Scotland’s heroic efforts, and because of England’s dismal performances we will need to look elsewhere for a possible winner of this elite competition.  While England are not the only fancied team to fall by the wayside, there is still an assortment of teams to choose from.

So who do you fancy?

At 4/1 we have the Germans pushing ahead, a team who give very little away and seem more than capable of finding quality strikers when need be.  Whether it is the German mentality or just luck, they always seem to be there or there abouts when the big tournaments come around.

However you might feel that it is the time of those eternal under achievers Spain to step out of the shadows and grasp the trophy, and at 6/1 they do look an interesting bet.  The Spanish football league has enjoyed a major turnaround over the last couple of years, and we are seeing more and more Spanish players entering the English Premiership – a sign that the big money signings are coming from Spain.

Mind you, it would take a brave person to write off France at 9/1 (despite Scotland getting the double over them in qualification) and who but the foolhardy would ever write off the deadly Italians – a team that certainly now how to kill a game when they are winning.  On the other hand will it be the flare of the Portuguese or the attacking play of the Croatians that will rise to the top in summer 2008?

Even though the home nations are not represented, Euro 2008 still promises to be a sports extravaganza and a massive event for the bookies!

While commonly known as the FA Cup, the Football Challenge Cup has a history which goes back to the 1871-72 season and while the number of teams involved has dramatically increased since then, the main attraction of the competition has not changed.  So why is it so popular around the world and why does it regularly attract audiences in excess of a billion people?

Even though the league clubs do not join the competition until the end of the year, some of the non-league teams who make it into the “competition proper” may have been playing qualifying games for months before.  There are many amateur clubs in the UK eligible to play in the FA Cup although some do not take up the opportunity because of the extra costs of travelling, player’s expenses, etc.  However for some non-league clubs playing in the FA Cup it can lead to increased income in the later rounds, TV money, increased exposure and it has even started the career of many footballers.

The main reason why the FA Cup is still so popular is the fact that it is the only Football Cup competition in the world which mixes non-league teams with league teams, offering the chance of some major upsets along the way.  Whether you are looking at Wimbledon winning the Cup from no where, Bournemouth knocking out the famous Manchester United or Sunderland lifting the trophy after being major under dogs, the chance of an upset is always present.

While some would say that the “Cup” has lost some of its attraction in recent years as more money has poured into the higher echelons of the league, viewing figures do not suggest this.  The FA Cup Final is a massive day on the sporting calendar and many countries around the world will tune in to watch the game live.  The rewards of being the holder of the “Cup” for just one year cannot be under estimated – it can literally mean millions of pounds in extra prize money, gate receipts and merchandise sales.

While we have all seen the headlines about Fabio Capello taking on the poisoned chalice of the England manager’s position, what does it mean?  While there are many hoping that the Italian will be able to bring a little more steel to the England set-up, how have we got to this stage? Why does England have arguably the best domestic league in the world yet the national team has won nothing for years?

As we mentioned in the headline, the England football team have been the bookies best friend since 1966, with not even the slightest sniff of a World Cup or a European Championship, and billions of pounds of gamblers money down the drain (well into the bookmakers back pocket!).  It seems that while we can attract the best players in the world, we are still struggling to bring through domestic talent – much of which is being lost.  So what needs to be done?

In order for you to cash in that England World Cup winning slip for 2010 we need to build a whole new set-up where younger players are given a chance to shine, where money is not everything and where the players play with pride for their country – with nothing else on their minds.  Capello seems as though he could actually be the man to take us to that level, and with his track record it certainly looks as though he has the experience to do it.  So what next?

Don’t place your bets yet as this could well be a long drawn out affair, as the need for change from the very top to the very bottom of the game is evident.  While the UK sporting public are keeping their fingers crossed that Capello can do it, the bookies may just be about to wave good bye to their old friend – the unsuccessful England Football team, well we can but dream!

In what promises to be one of the games of the season so far, Saturday’s early kick-off sees Arsene Wenger take on his arch-rival Sir Alex Ferguson.  Many may be surprised to learn that even though Ferguson seems to be able to get under Wengers’ skin, it is the Arsenal man who has the “magic” sign over Ferguson in their head to head statistics.  But who will win this latest encounter?

It would most certainly take a brave person to actually step in with an outright forecast for the game, but there is every chance of a goal feast for the fans.  Both teams are on fire in front of goal, with United hitting an impressive 4 goals in each of their last four games – but can they make it five on the trot?

Arsenal on the other hand look a good bet with their defence rock solid, against an often shaky United back four, and both the midfield and attack joining in the goal scoring of late.  Perhaps the games needs an early goal to focus the minds of the players, and take out the dreaded “looking for a draw” scenario.  Thankfully this is not a style which any of the teams are well known for, even though so much is at stake.

Arsenal stormed to the top very early in the season although they have been pulled back a little over the last couple of weeks.  United on the other hand had a distaterous start to the season and saw many people writing off their chances of winning the Premiership, then came the troubles at Chelsea. 

All of a sudden United took the lead, pushing forward, scoring goals and moving their way up the league,  and before the Chelsea saga had calmed down Ferguson had pushed his men back to the top of the Premiership table.  It would take a mighty brave person to bet against the crafty Scot.

As we approach the weekend, we can all look forward to one of the most action packed few days on the sporting calendar (and gamblers calendar) with a whole host of events taking place.� Feast your eyes on this array of top sporting events :-

Euro 2008 Qualifying Continues

As we near the crunch with regard to Euro 2008 qualification, it is Scotland who have stolen a march on England, but who will be in the driving seat come Sunday? England take on Estonia at Wembley on Saturday, while Scotland entertain the Ukraine on the same day.� Can Scotland pull further away at the top of their qualifying table, will England stutter again, the joys of big match football await us!

World Cup Rugby Semi Finals

England carry the hopes of the �home� nations with a much awaited match against the French on Saturday.� These have always been fiery affairs and this one should prove no different, with both teams vying for a place in the Final, after shaky starts.� Can the Lion roar once more?

After a difficult period for both the Rugby and Football teams, it seems that both have the chance to improve their battered reputations,� The rugby team more than any other have been written off by nearly every �expert� in the sport, but they keep battling and last weekends shock victory over Australia showed what they can do.

While a win for the football team on Saturday would be a great boost ahead of their Russia game next week, it is difficult not to think of the make or break Russian game next week.� what chance a double win or a double defeat by England?

For those with an interest in F1, the battle for the Drivers Championship will go to wire at the final GP of the year - 21st October, Brazil.� Will Hamilton keep his cool, will Alonso sneak in, or will the Ferrari of Raikkonen finish off a mad cap season in style? All will be revealed very soon…….

As we approach the run in for qualification for next years UEFA European Championship tournament, things are certainly starting to hot up with some of the big names fighting for their lives, and some of the relative under dogs crawling their way to next years tournament.� So who is at risk and who is safe?

By far one of the most intriguing of groups is qualifying Group B which see the Scotland team sitting on top of the table, with the mighty Italy and Ukraine trailing in second and third.� There are only two teams to qualify from this Group, and with Scotland�s recent �double� over the French, they are certainly in the driving seat.� But can they hold their nerve?

There is another interesting tussle in qualifying Group E where England have made up some ground after their indifferent start, with a couple of home wins.� Next up are the Russians in what may turn out to be the make or break game for both side.� Croatia are pulling away at the top, and it seems as though it will be between England and Russia for the second qualifying place, and the road to riches.

Elsewhere it is sad to see the likes of Belgium, Denmark, Republic of Ireland and Hungary struggling to qualify for a tournament in which many of them were seen as permanent fixtures.� It seems as though the masses of money being poured into the game have resulted in some of the weaker national leagues struggling to bring their own players through - unfortunately at the expense of some of the well know national teams.

It will be interesting to see how the qualifying games conclude with so many of the �big teams� struggling to stamp their authority.� While there are sure to be some shocks in qualification, there will also be some more shocks when Europe�s elite footballing teams meet next year - bring it on!

One of the main growth areas in sports betting is the in play option which many betting exchanges have introduced for games such as football, tennis, cricket, etc.� While there are many gamblers who tend to steer clear of in play situations, they can be very very lucrative if you know what you are looking for, and the setting is correct.

One thing which many people seem to forget is that no matter how professional these sports men and woman are, they will and do get tired towards the end of a game.� When tiredness creeps in, that is when mistakes are more likely to happen, and someone is likely to suffer! If you study the UK football Premier League, you will see exactly what we mean with many goals scored in the final 10 minutes of games.� So how can this be more lucrative?

The beauty about in play betting is that the less of a game left to play, the larger the difference in the odds for results such as a draw or win for either team.� If the game is 0 - 0 with 2 minutes left, the odds on a win (for either team) will be higher than at the start of the game, purely because there is less time left to score a goal.� At this stage, you would probably see the odds on a draw under evens, because this is the most likely outcome.

If you follow a particular team and know that they often come on strong at the end of a game, and with the game set at 0 - 0 and odds of 10/1 on a win for your team, it may just be worth a gamble! Next time you are watching the results come in, just notice how many games have late goals - often in the last few seconds of a game, when the odds on a particular outcome could be sky high.

We have seen major changes in a vast array of sports over the last 20 years, with big money pouring into the hands of the major players.� This has led many to believe that Football has seen the last of the big FA Cup shocks, the likes of lowly Hereford United knocking out the mighty Newcastle, or the Wimbledon �crazy gang� lifting the prestigious Cup at the expense of Liverpool.�

Are there no outside bets in football now? Is the game really dominated by the big boys?

The FA Cup is the world�s oldest football competition and the only tournament where both professional and semi-professional clubs mix (league and non-league). The old tournament still attracts a world audience of hundreds of millions on �Cup Final Day�, but are the great shocks gone for good, or can they still happen?

The fact that now a days some of the outside bets you night have fancied 10 years ago, may well in be quoted at up to 100/1 says a lot.� It seems that the only real shocks are seen amongst the top two divisions, and even then they are few and far between.� That is not to say that a non-league team can�t have a �Cup run�, but they are often shorter lived than they were in the past.� Money does talk and the larger clubs are able to put out second teams that would run away with many of the lower division titles.�

It now takes some research and a whole lot of luck to spot the next big upset, and it is often best to stick to the smaller clubs for upsets amongst themselves, with life a little more unpredictable in the lower leagues.� There are many �Cup Teams� in the UK including, Newcastle, Tottenham and Bolton, but it is very often the massive clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester� United and Liverpool who are left to share the spoils.

The romance of the FA Cup may be dented a little, and while the massive outside bets are now few and far between, �Cup Final Day� is still something very special, whoever you are!

As we approach the curtain raiser to the UK football season, we are starting to see the reappearance of the pundits, the experts, the ones who will tell us how to make money - yeah right! It seems that each and every football fan thinks that they are a pundit, offering advice about who will win the Premiership, who will go down, and a �good outsider� for the FA Cup.� This year will be no different…..

With Chelsea continuing their massive spending campaign it seems that they will be vying for top spot with their old rivals Manchester United, the champions of 2006/07, although there may be another gate crasher to the party in the shape of Liverpool.

While it may be a little too early for Liverpool to be challenging for the title, Rafael Benitez is putting together a very strong squad for the forth coming season.� He has sold relatively few players (although there is time yet) and brought in some top class strike power and midfield maestros.� It seems that the club may be about to build upon their strong defensive record, by adding further goals to their armoury.

Among the other also rans we see the likes of Arsenal still in the mix, but with a difficult pre-season and influential players coming and going, 2007/08 may well be another bedding down season for Wenger�s boys, but what odds an FA Cup run?

As we see the likes of Sunderland and Birmingham rejoin the top flight, it seems that both clubs are looking to make a fight of it next year, shelling out millions of pounds in the transfer market of late.� While usually the newly promoted teams are favourites to go back down again, there may well be a change this year if the quality of signings are anything to go by.

There is nothing like the count down to the start of a new season, a season which we all hope will be as dramatic as last year.� There is only one thing certain in the Premiership - expect the unexpected!