FA to look into unusual betting pattern in League Two game

FA to look into unusual betting pattern in League Two game The Football Association will take a look at the English League Two football game Accrington v Bury (0-2) on Saturday, after UK bookmakers discovered an unusual betting pattern. While sporting organizations in the United States are wrongfully blaming bookmakers for the integrity of the sports, specifically match-fixing, in the U.K. similar organizations have realized the great benefit of legal sports betting and the following example just illustrates this fact. The Football Association (FA) said it will take "a close look" into the League Two game Accrington v Bury, after the major bookmakers discovered a betting pattern unusual for such a small profile game. Both William Hill and Coral closed their book on the League Two game while betting exchange Betfair reported action far exceeding fixtures of a similar profile, it was reported.

"We were seeing substantial money for just one result, Bury to win. We shortened the price four times and we were still seeing people wanting to bet. That was the point at which we decided to close the book. I can't ever recall us taking this action on an English league game," said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe, who stays in touch with OGPaper on major British betting events, was quoted. "This was a very unusual betting pattern - if the allegations are true. We were made aware of the situation on Friday. We will look very closely at the information Betfair and other bookmakers provide and take any subsequent action with the football league and the two clubs concerned," FA director of communications Adrian Bevington addressed the incident.

Published on 05/04/2008