GOONERSGUIDE ENGLISH OTHER NEWS SECTION

This is our English Other news section where we provide any news items that might have a significant effect on the matches being played - or sports betting in general.

English Other News :: UK bookmakers spot dodgy betting in an English non-league football match

Posted on 2009-04-26 by Gooner

Two UK bookmakers plan to report suspicious betting patterns surrounding Sunday's Conference game between Grays Athletic and Forest Green Rovers.

Blue Square and William Hill suspended betting on the match after a large number of wagers were placed on Grays to win after trailing at half-time.

Blue Square :
"We'll be reporting this to the FA on Monday to ask how we progress," a Blue Square spokesman told BBC Sport. "We are withholding stakes in line with our regulations," he added.

Grays scored twice in just 50 second-half seconds to come from behind and beat Forest Green 2-1 in the Blue Square Premier game, the division from which teams are promoted to the Football League.

"We did see unusual betting patterns," said Blue Square spokesman Alan Alger, the firm that sponsors the division.

"We closed the market on Saturday. It looked extremely dodgy. It's always a big price for a team to be losing at half-time and to win at full-time."

William Hill :
William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "We saw a most unusual betting pattern on this match involving a large number of requests for bets on Grays to be losing at half-time and winning at full-time.

The odds for that eventuality were cut from 22/1 to under half of that price yet still people wanted to back that outcome. We closed our book and reported our actions to the relevant authorities.

We have no intention of paying out, pending any potential enquiries which may be undertaken."

Sourced From : BBC Sport

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