CFL Inks Deal with Bowmans
Agreements between bookmakers and sports leagues are virtually unheard of in North America, but the Canadian Football League is looking to change that. The league this week announced a two-year sponsorship agreement with British bookmaker Bowmans. The agreement, believed to be the first deal between a North American sports league or team and a bookmaker, calls for Bowmans to place promotional signs at all CFL stadiums for the coming playoffs and into next season. The bookmaker will also offer a free online promotional parlay contest through which fans can win cash without having to wager. League officials said the deal was contingent on Bowmans proving that league and club officials will be prevented from using its sports betting services. The exact details of the deal weren't disclosed, although one report suggested that mid-level sponsorships for the CFL are generally in the neighborhood of $500,000 per year.
Intertops.com Offers Simulated Hockey Bets to Fill NHL Void
The lack of on-ice action in the National Hockey League isn't stopping online bookmaker Intertops.com from offering NHL bets. The league is a few weeks into what could be a season-long player lockout, and Intertops is taking bets on virtual NHL action. The schedule is similar to the official 2004/05 NHL Schedule, with fixtures and odds posted two days before the virtual games take place. The game scores are determined by the results of North American lottery draws, and Intertops.com customers can wager on their favorite teams, their opponents or the tie, as well as the over/under on total goals.
Rooney's Hat Trick Hurts Bookies
Teenage footballer Wayne Rooney had a smashing debut with Manchester United in a 6-2 thrashing of Turkish champion Fenerbahce as Man U opened play in the Champions League. Rooney, the English International who made headlines with his stellar play in the Euro 2004 Championship, got a hat trick in his debut for Man U to the delight of fans everywhere. Bookies on the other hand took a major hit with the goal-scoring rampage. Thousands of Manchester United fans decided to back their faith in their £30 million signing with hard cash and put a punt on him marking his debut with a hat trick. Bookmakers say it cost them millions, even at the not-so-generous odds of 20-1. Coral took several thousand bets on a Rooney hat trick and said it was their worst result in the history of the Champions League. Spokesman Simon Clare said many Old Trafford faithful jumped at the chance to put a flutter on Rooney's hat trick possibilities. "Thousands of Manchester United fans piled their cash on a Rooney hat trick, and we thought it was money for old rope," Clare said. "When his third goal went in, we turned off all the lights in the head office to save the electricity. Punters will be turning up with wheelbarrows to collect their winnings." The company has slashed the odds on Rooney being voted European Player of the Year from 50-1 to 12-1. He is also down from 40-1 to 10-1 to be the top Champions League goal scorer.
BetWWTS Suspends Wagering on The Apprentice
Long known for its willingness to offer hard-to-find proposition bets, BetWWTS.com pulled betting on the finalists for the second season of NBC's "The Apprentice," citing an "unusual betting pattern on two contestants" from accounts originating in New Hampshire. "We don't know if this is some kind of link to the contestants or some way involved with the production," BestWWTS.com wagering director Stuart Doyle told the Associated Press. "When this has happened before, it's because someone has known the outcome."
It's not the first time BetWWTS has had to suspend betting on a reality TV show. Last year, CBS's "Survivor: Pearl Islands" winner Sandra Diaz-Twine received numerous wagers from Vancouver, British Columbia, before the first episode even aired. Similar incidents occurred during "Survivor: The Amazon" and the second installment of ABC's "The Bachelor."
Unlike the Pearl Islands incident, in which the suspicious Vancouver wagers occurred near the winner's home in Fort Lewis, Wash., none of the Apprentice candidates seem to have New Hampshire ties, according to their NBC bios. Doyle said the increase in problems with betting on reality shows has forced executives with the site to revisit their policies. "We are considering not offering betting on reality shows that have been pre-taped," he said. "It simply seems impossible not to have to suspend them very quickly."
In a span of 24 hours, Doyle said, an unusually high amount of action was played on two contestants: lawyer Jennifer Massey, 30, from San Francisco and software executive Kelly Perdew, 37, from Carlsbad, Calif. All the bets were for the maximum amount of $300. "When we see a lot of bets with $300, then that's very suspicious," said Doyle, who noted typical bets are about $25.
ARGO Focuses on Responsible Gambling
Last month at the first ever meeting of the Association of Remote Gambling Operators (ARGO), members decided that addressing responsible gambling will be their top priority as England moves toward the liberalization of its gambling laws. ARGO has set up a sub-committee dedicated to considering the social responsibility issues associated with remote gambling. Its members include key executives from companies like William Hill, Ladbrokes, Bet365, Victor Chandler and Stanleybet.
Betting Syndicate Nets First-Time Punters £8,000
A group of co-workers from an English insurance office decided to pool their money and try their luck by betting on football matches through on online bookmaker. It seemed easy right away for the group after they won £45 with their first bet, but the initial windfall was only a pittance of what was around the corner. The three friends won £8,000 a week later after betting £10 on the outcome of 20 different football matches. The team had to correctly predict the results of 12 UEFA Cup and eight Champions League games. Gerry Pangalis said his group of friends decided on a whim to try their hand at football betting. "It was quite amazing," he said. "We had never tried betting before, and just decided we'd throw a few pounds each into the pot and have a go. We've decided to take £2,000 each from our winnings and invest the remainder in further bets. Who knows, maybe our luck will hold."