A possible match manipulation controversy is developing in Brazil, bearing a striking resemblance to an incident that surfaced in Ukraine earlier this year. These are “phantom matches” – contests that never occurred but were cleverly presented as genuine events, complete with betting options on various platforms.
The match currently under investigation is between Andrews Brazil and Gremio Serrano. An astonishing £1.4 million (approximately $1.7 million) was staked on this game, setting off alarm bells. While over 200 bookmakers offered odds on the match, Gremio Serrano’s legal representative, Lucas Bezerra, asserts the club never dispatched a team to compete. Conversely, Andrews’ lawyer, Malus Dalledone, maintains the match proceeded as scheduled.
This is not a solitary occurrence. Earlier this year, Ukraine was shaken by a comparable “phantom match” operation. BetGenius, a sports data firm, released a statement to Gambling Insider magazine, disclosing that their integrity and intelligence system had identified four Ukrainian football matches as questionable. These matches, seemingly authentic cup games between professional teams, even employed a local scout to gather information. Regrettably, BetGenius, alongside numerous sports betting partners, became victims of this elaborate ruse.
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