Betting Play Football

25/01/08

Organizing committee shocked at betting appraoch

Posted : Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:40:00 GMT

Author : DPA

Accra, Ghana - The local organizing committee (LOC) of the African Cup of Nations in Ghana on Friday expressed shock that the Benin coach at the tournament had been approached to influence the outcome of a game. Reinhard Fabisch, whose side lost their opening Group B game against Mali 1-0 on Monday had earlier said that a man calling himself Mr Andrews approached him in the team hotel before the game.

"He said that he was working for some people in Asia and that they were willing to pay 20,000 dollars if I could influence our games. They said I needed to have players that I trusted and that it would be best if it was a goalkeeper and defenders."

The Director of International Relations for the organizing committee Anthony Baffoe, who himself played at the Nations Cup for Ghana, said Friday that he only heard of the situation in the morning.

"To be honest I have never heard of something like this happening. And myself personally, I have never been approached to do such a thing."

He said he did not know if it was a common thing in Africa. "I cannot say again as I have never played in the local leagues here."

He says he is shocked that such an approach would be made. "I don't believe that in such a tournament, I mean a major African competition with all professional teams and players that something like this can take place.

"The level of competition is really high here and you can see from the quality of play so far that players are trying. If I was a player, why would I want to throw the game? Players are looking to impress big clubs so they can perhaps earn a big move, moreso the smaller teams."

He said that the LOC would not take the matter further. "We can't really look into the matter as the local LOC. We have to see what CAF (Confederation of African Football) first says, if they want to investigate and instruct us to get involved, then we will do so."

CAF meanwhile, have asked the coach to provide them with an affidavit outline the allegations.

Benin are in a tough group at the January 20-February 10 tournament in Ghana, with Ivory Coast and Nigeria their other opponents besides Mali.

Legal and illegal gambling on football matches is huge in Asia. According to some experts, 80-90 per cent of the illegal betting takes place there.

The International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol, announced last November that it carried out 423 arrests, shut down 262 gambling dens in a first major operation carried out against football gambling with law enforcement authorities from China (including Hong Kong and Macao), Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Olympic supremo Jacques Rogge has named illegal betting "a formidable threat to the credibility of sport."

05/01/08

AFC Wild Card Round: Why Your Favorite Team Will Win

JANUARY 03, 2008

by Sean Crowe

We already told you why your favorite NFC team was going to win this weekend, so now it's time to take a look at the AFC.

As we said in the NFC column, this is not a prediction column.

This is a look at how your favorite team can/will win this weekend's playoff game.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers

Why Jacksonville will win...

1. They're the most physical team in the playoffs.

For a Florida team, Jacksonville sure is physical. Unlike most teams from the sunshine state, they appear built to function in any weather.

They might even be better in colder, sloppier weather.

2. They can run the ball.

Fred Taylor has rediscovered his youth. He's been the best running back this side of LT since mid-season.

Maurice Jones-Drew might be small, but he packs a heck of a punch. Just ask Shawne Merriman.

Together they make up the best running game in the AFC.

3. They don't turn the ball over.

David Garrard threw three interceptions the entire season. That's pretty remarkable for a guy who started all 16 games.

Three interceptions is a bad quarter for Eli Manning.

4. They caught the right team at the right time.

The Steelers have been decimated by injuries over the last couple of weeks-the most significant being Willie Parker, who will miss the entire playoffs with a broken leg.

Ben Roethlisberger has been dealing with injuries of his own. He missed the last week of the season to heal, but there's no telling exactly where he is physically heading into this weekend.

The Jaguars might have caught the Steelers at their most vulnerable.

Why Pittsburgh will win...

1. Ben Roethlisberger wins big games.

Ever since he was a rookie, Roethlisberger has known how to win big games. He's a Super Bowl-winning QB, which puts him in a group that includes Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, and Trent Dilfer.

OK, forget Trent Dilfer. You get the point.

Right now Big Ben is just south of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady-solidly leading the second tier of NFL quarterbacks.

Playoff games come down to coaching and QB play. And Big Ben over David Garrard is a no-brainer.

2. Najeh Davenport ain't that bad.

Najeh Davenport is more Jerome Bettis than Willie Parker, but that might be just what the Steelers need.

We've already talked about how physical the Jaguars are, but Davenport gives the Steelers a physical running game that can match the physicality of the Jaguars defense.

Davenport is the best short yardage running back in the NFL. He can move the pile.

Plus, Brett Favre loves him.

3. Their defense is still pretty good.

Even after a late season swoon, the Steelers' defense was the #1 rated defense in the NFL.

In Troy Polamalu and James Harrison, they sport two of the best defensive playmakers in football.

Don't be confused by the way they ended the season. The Steelers' defense can still get the job done.

4. Do you REALLY trust David Garrard?

He couldn't beat the Colts, his only real test of the season.

He's never had to carry an offense to a playoff victory.

He's a "game manager"-which is NFL speak for "might not be able to win the game for us, but he won't lose it either."

If it comes down to Big Ben making a play or David Garrard, who are you betting the house on?

Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers

Why Tennessee will win...

1. The Titans should have won the first match-up.

If 160 things didn't go right for the Chargers in the 4th quarter, Tennessee would have beaten them in the regular season.

The Titans remember this game and won't make the same mistakes again.

2. The Chargers' run defense is suspect.

When someone runs for 296 yards against your defense, it officially becomes suspect.

Tennessee has a pretty good running game. With Vince Young at QB (assuming he's healthy), they will need to rely on the running game.

If you can push around the Chargers, you can beat the Chargers.

3. The Titans can stop the run.

With Albert Haynesworth healthy, the Titans' defense is nearly impossible to run against.

If the Titans can stop Ladainian Tomlinson, they'll put the game in Philip Rivers' incapable hands.

It's pretty simple, really. Stop LT, and you stop the Chargers.

Of course, that's easier said than done.

4. Head coaching matters.

Jeff Fisher vs. Norv Turner is a mismatch of epic proportions.

We're talking LSU-vs.-Sister-Hazel's-All-Girls-Academy-level mismatch.

I mean, can you really pick a Norv Turner team over a Jeff Fisher team?

Can you?

Why San Diego will win...

1. Ladainian Tomlinson, enough said.

Ladainian Tomlinson is the best running back in the NFL today.

Give him the ball 25 times and you're probably in good shape.

Plus, LT is on a mission this season. He wasn't happy with how the season ended last year, and he'll do everything in his power to make sure another team doesn't get to do the "Lights Out" dance on his home field.

LT on a mission can win a game by himself.

2. Talent wins.

Forget everything else, the Chargers have a huge advantage in the talent department.

They're more talented offensively and more talented defensively. If this game were played on a playground somewhere, they'd destroy the Titans.

They have enough of a talent advantage that they may be able to cancel out the coaching advantage Fisher has over Turner.

Maybe.

3. The Chargers have some serious defensive playmakers.

The Chargers' defense has been tremendous at forcing turnovers this season.

Vince Young has been tremendous at turning the ball over this season.

Something has to give.

4. They have to win sometime, right?

A team as talented as the San Diego Chargers has to win a playoff game eventually, right?

LT does not want to go down in history as the most talented player to never go deep into the playoffs.

Shawn Merriman doesn't want to go down in history as the steroid user who couldn't perform in January.

Philip Rivers doesn't want to go down as the weak link that stopped a talented team from winning in the playoffs.

All that spells extra motivation.

That might be all it takes to put an extremely talented team over the top this weekend.

I'm SeanMC.

http://bostonsportsrants.blogspot.com/

18/12/07

Michigan's move could help Buffs

By Kyle Ringo

Posted December 17, 2007

Michigan's hiring of West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez could help the Buffs next year when the Mountaineers come to town.

As CU fans are acutely aware, coaching changes often lead to shifts in philosophy and a steep learning curve for a football team. It was the case for the Buffs when Dan Hawkins was hired two years ago.

It could be for West Viriginia as well. depending on who the school chooses to hire to replace Rodriguez.

But here is where I think the move helps the Buffs most. Nothing has been decided yet, but I'd be very surprised to see both quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton return to Morgantown next season.

Both were considered Heisman candidates at the outset of the 2007 season and both will play in the National Football League. I'm betting both will opt to turn pro because of the coaching change and that will only help the Buffs.

There is still plenty of talent on the West Virginia roster if those two players leave, but the Mountaineers would be better with White and Slaton than without them.

It will be interesting to see how this develops and who is hired. Our columnist Neill Woelk pointed out that the Mountaineers will be one of five teams the Buffs play in 2008 who will be breaking in new coaches. I think that bodes well for the Buffs, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee anything.

In case you're wondering, the other teams with new coaches on the Buffs schedule next season are Colorado State, Eastern Washington, Texas A&M and Nebraska.

10/12/07

Talkin' football with Cincy Jungle

By VanRam

Posted on Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 10:10:43 AM EDT

Over the course of a day this week, I was fortunate enough to have a nice conversation with Josh Kirkendall from SBN's Bengals site Cincy Jungle. In lieu of the usual question exchange ahead of a game, which can get a little stale when you're both discussing such powerhouse teams in the league this year, we had the chance to commensurate, just two passionate fans pondering the poor state of their teams.

Don't let the extra win fool you, the Bengals are slogging their way through their own disappointing season. Fans tiring of coaches, star quarterbacks struggling to make passes, and injuries, oh my!

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there are a lot more teams struggling through a bad year than I can recall from seasons past. ...I think I've got a post for next week now too.

Anyway, my thanks to Josh from Cincy Jungle. This was his idea and it's a fine one, which I hope at least gives us something more in depth than an Xs and Os run down of the game ahead. You may also notice, we had this conversation prior to the news that Bulger's out for the week.

www.turfshowtimes.com

04/11/07

War of words takes a back-seat

The Insider

ARSENAL 2-2 MANCHESTER UNITED

There was a time when a clash between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger was hailed as the ultimate showdown in Premier League football.

Like Ali v Frazier or Connors v McEnroe, the managers of Manchester United and Arsenal spent much of their early years together in direct competition for all the top prizes in the game, with the articulate Frenchman getting the better of Ferguson more than anyone else in recent years.

Touchline scuffles and tunnel scraps have dominated their stormy past, yet time is a healer in any relationship and while these two serial winners have had an affair that would test the best of counsellors, the last couple of years have produced a thawing of relations.

Much of that could be credited to the emergence of Jose Mourinho and Chelsea. When it was merely a battle between Wenger and Ferguson, they felt the only option was to bite lumps out of each other every week, but with a third member added into their exclusive club for the last three years, perspective has been added to the mix.

And as Ferguson stepped out into a stadium built on the back of the vision Wenger has brought to Arsenal, admiration rather than anger may have drifted into his mind. As many a player and journalist have found to their cost down the years, it takes a lot to earn the respect of Sir Alex, yet the Arsenal manager must have done that by now.

The fiery Scot and the studious Gallic brain are never likely to be best of pals, but at least they have learned to live with each other now. In many ways, like boxers Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank in the 1990s, they have needed each other to establish their own legends and maybe the pair can see as much now.

Even though all of us at the Emirates Stadium would have hoped this would be a feast of football with goals and thrilling play from the off, reality got into the way of fantasy in an opening half that failed to live up to expectations.

The tactical battle between these two managerial masters is always a fascination and Ferguson's ploy of starting Wayne Rooney and Cristiano in the wide positions behind a lead striker of Carlos Tevez could have been construed as a cautious move. Alternatively, it could have been described as a potent three man attack.

As it turned out, the key men for United in the first half were Owen Hargreaves and Anderson as they did their best to chop down Arsenal's attacking intent at its heart, with Cesc Fabregas struggling to find the space he thrives in.

Using the word 'boring' to describe the first half seems a little harsh when you consider the talent on show in front of us, but the chances were few and far between, with both sides cancelling each other out in frustrating fashion.

So it came as something of a shock when United snatched a lead on the stroke of the interval after Wayne Rooney's mishit near post shot was diverted goal bound by Arsenal captain William Gallas. It was an own goal and in a game as tight as this, it seemed as if it may be crucial.

John O'Shea spent much of the half-time interval warming up in front of the press area at the Emirates Stadium, though Ferguson opted to send the same eleven players out for the second period and within a couple of minutes of the restart, the game was level.

All the talk before the game was about the growing stature of Fabregas on the world stage and even though he took time to make his mark in this showpiece occasion, the little Spaniard was in the right place to tap home an equaliser from just outside the six yard box. His eleventh goal of a remarkable season simply served to confirm that he is arguably the best player in the world right now.

Wenger showed his determination to go after the game when he replaced the defensive minded Emmanuel Eboue with attacking livewire Theo Walcott; but it so nearly backfired as Patrice Evra ran into the space vacated by the departed Arsenal full-back and set up the otherwise quiet Cristiano Ronaldo to fire what looked like an 81st minute winner.

Arsenal seemed to be staring at their first defeat of the season until William Gallas fired an injury-time leveller after a goal mouth scramble and so we were back to where it all started. In spite of the four goals in the game, this was not a classic to remember, but Wenger seemed content with his lot.

'Our character has been tested twice in the last week and we came out unbeaten on both occasions,' he said. 'We are still learning how to play in games of this stature because we have a young team who are not used to playing under this much pressure, but we came away from this with increased belief.

'We only had eight minutes to get back into the game after Ronaldo's goal and still found a way to do it. This game doesn't prove anything other than confirming we have a good team and we should have a chance to challenge for the title this season.'

As for Ferguson, he looked full of rage as he answered the questions. 'To give away a goal from our own throw in so soon after the break was ridiculous,' he moaned. 'We spoke about having some good possession after getting the goal on the stroke of half-time, but we gave away a very scrappy goal.

'Then we threw away another lead after Ronaldo looked like he had won it. This would have been a big three points for us and it was a lack of concentration that has cost us dear.

'Still, all credit to Arsenal. They are a good team and showed good spirit to come back at us. At the end of it all, we are where we started and that is not a bad thing for either of us.'

Those warm comments confirmed that the war of words off the pitch between Ferguson and Wenger is officially over. Now we can look forward to seeing their two brilliant teams battling it out for the title this season.

MAN OF THE MATCH: William Gallas
Arsenal's captain has brought a unity and spirit to the club that Thierry Henry's vast presence had shattered and it was fitting that their leader fired a last gasp leveller.

FOOD WATCH: Transport problems meant a late arrival at Emirates Stadium for The Insider, but a dip into the vast fruit bowl on offer was welcome.

ARSENAL VERDICT: Anyone sitting on a betting slip stating Arsenal will be Premier League champions this season can rest assured that they will get a good return for their money this season. The Gunners have proved beyond doubt that they will be in the title mix right through to the end.

UNITED VERDICT: A long way below their best at the Emirates Stadium, United still managed to produce a couple of fine goals and they comfortable held Arsenal for long periods. With that in mind, they might look back on this draw as two dropped points.

29/10/07

Classic is more than just a football game

Sunday, October 28, 2007

I don't know for sure, but I'm betting there were thousands of people outside Legion Field on Saturday afternoon who forgot there was a football game going on - the same way some people go to the state fair and forget there are livestock exhibitions going on inside the barns, the same way some people go to City Stages and never get close enough to a stage to see any of the live music.

I do know for certain that there were thousands of people inside Legion Field who started leaving at the end of the third quarter, unconcerned that a single point was all that separated Alabama A&M from Alabama State. They seemingly were concerned only that there was something more going on outside the stadium that they didn't want to miss.

What they missed by leaving was a game that came down to the final two minutes, to an Alabama State drive that got close but not close enough.

What they missed was a drive-thwarting interception that crushed Alabama State's dream of pulling the upset and avoiding the Hornets' longest losing streak in this series since A&M won four in a row from 1983 to 1986.

Sure, it matters to all those people outside Legion Field that Alabama A&M hung on to win, 13-9, to improve to 7-1 this season and win its fifth Magic City Classic out of the past six tries.

But as Saturday afternoon slipped away, what seemed more important to thousands of fans on both sides were the tents of food and coolers of beverages and stages with live bands as well as speakers pounding out everything from hip-hop to rap, jazz to soul, and at least one tent blaring country.

On the field, as the two bands battled each other tune for tune from opposite sides of the stadium, the players and coaches displayed the emotion that it seemed the fans didn't quite share.

"You can't treat this (like any other game)," said Alabama State running back Jay Peck, a senior. "There is so much hype. This game is bigger than the SWAC Championship. You try to treat it like just another game, but do you think Auburn treats Alabama like it's just another game? Does Ohio State treat Michigan like it's just another game?

"No. It's a rivalry. You can't help but get caught up in it. It's the only game we'll play in front of 68,000 fans. It's the best atmosphere we'll play in all year. And to lose - I feel bad. It's so disappointing. So many people come from all over the country to see you play, and when you can't pull out a victory, you feel like you let them all down."

Or, as Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones said, "You can't explain it until you experience it. We've won five of six. Eventually, it'll catch up to us and we'll come out on the wrong side of the stick. But for now, we'll celebrate being on the right end of the stick."

He'd better hurry.

Outside the stadium, the celebration was going on without him.

Ray Melick's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Write him at rmelick@bhamnews.com.

16/10/07

Sports wagering hoped to be sure bet in Del.

By Randall Chase

DOVER-- Legalized sports wagering isn't a sure bet in Delaware, but it remains an ace in the hole for Delaware's gambling industry.

"I do not think this is going to go off our list until it happens," Ed Sutor, president and chief executive officer of Dover Downs Inc., told members of the state Video Lottery Advisory Council earlier this month.

Sports betting will lead the VLAC's list of recommendations for state officials to consider when the council submits its annual report, due Nov. 5. Other desired changes include removing a cap on promotional slot machine play, eliminating Sunday morning closings, and allowing alcohol to be served after 1 a.m.

Meanwhile, a Minner administration working group, at the direction of the General Assembly, is studying the possible reinstitution of sports betting in Delaware. It's scheduled to report its findings by Dec. 21.

The group has looked at Delaware's failed experiment with a sports lottery decades ago, as well as a recently ended sports lottery in Oregon. It is now studying how sports betting is conducted in Las Vegas and Windsor, Ontario, where sports wagering similar to that envisioned by proponents in Delaware began last year.

By virtue of its failed experiment with sports gaming in the late 1970s, Delaware is one of only four states, along with Nevada, Montana and Oregon, that were grandfathered exemptions from a 1992 federal law banning sports gambling.

Faced with new slot machine competition in Pennsylvania, tables games in West Virginia, and the threat of slot machines in Maryland, Delaware officials have taken an increasingly hard look at reviving sports gaming, an option open to no other state east of the Mississippi River.

"I think there will be more support for it this year than perhaps in past years," said House Majority Leader Richard Cathcart, R-Middletown. "I think there will be a vote on it."

Unlike single-game betting allowed in Las Vegas, a Delaware sports lottery would require combination or parlay bets -- selecting both a winning team and the total points scored by both teams, for example -- to retain the element of chance from the original 1970s game.

"The lottery by its very nature can only do games of chance," Sutor explained.

Opponents of the idea have included Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, along with the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NCAA.

A state House of Representatives committee in June released a bill authorizing a sports lottery at Delaware's three existing slot machine casinos that would allow adults to wager on professional and collegiate events, with the exception of those involving Delaware schools. The bill was not brought up for a floor vote. Lawmakers instead passed a resolution authorizing the budget office, finance director and controller general to conduct a study and submit a report to the legislature.

"I look forward to it," Sutor said. "If anybody does a reasonably intelligent job of doing a forecast, they're going to end up with a report that shows this should be very attractive to the state."

Lawrence Klatzkin, a gambling industry analyst with Jefferies & Co., said approval of slot machines in neighboring Maryland, from which Dover Downs draws many of its customers, could spur Delaware officials to act.

"That would probably be a catalyst to Delaware passing sports betting," said Klatzkin, cautioning that slot machines in Maryland is hardly a done deal, even though Gov. Martin O'Malley supports the idea.

"It's been said to be a sure thing now for six years running, so I've stopped betting on it," Klatzkin said.

Cathcart said sports betting would be a sustainable source of revenue for Delaware, but administration officials warn that it should not be seen as a panacea.

"Sports betting as we see is not the ultimate solution or the silver bullet, if there is enactment of Maryland slots," said deputy finance secretary Tom Cook.

Administration officials have expressed doubt about a study commissioned by the gambling industry suggesting that sports betting could boost Delaware's lottery revenue by $70 million a year. They have noted that the professional football betting game that Oregon offered at more than 2,500 lottery outlets brought in only $12 million in total sales in its best year.

Cook suggested that proponents of sports betting in Delaware may be relying too heavily on "crossover play," believing that people who wager on sports will also spend their money on slot machines.

But Sutor said industry officials are confident that sports wagering at the three casinos would result in spinoff spending on slot machines, horse racing, restaurant meals and hotels.