ENGLAND STAR BET ON HIS OWN TRANSFER
Bid to win £5,000 from move as insider reveals players wager millions in secret
AN England footballer bet £500 on his own transfer in a bid to win £5,000, amid claims of a gambling crisis in the game.
And bookies allegedly offer stars who lose millions VIP perks to keep betting. An insider said: “They get invites to big events.”
FOOTBALL stars are blowing millions of pounds on gambling after being wooed by bookies promising a host of freebies and glamour invites, an insider has claimed.
And the whistleblower alleged bosses allowed them to carry on betting even after they had lost fortunes and were showing signs of addiction.
Account managers offer wealthy players from across the Premier League VIP incentives such as invites to horse racing, Formula One and top football matches as well as offers of free booze, parties and entertainment packages.
Lifting the lid on the gambling craze sweeping the game, the insider told how one England star bet £500 on his own transfer to a top flight club in a bid to win £5,000.
And a Premier League defender squandered £500,000 on mobile phone casino games in a year, leaving him with just pennies in an account that once held £1.2million. One Scotland star begged bookies to close his account after blowing £25,000 on slot machines and roulette, telling them: “My gambling is out of control.”
And another player lost half of the £500,000 he deposited in his bets fund.
The insider, from a major UK bookie, said: “Top players get invites to big sports events. They give them goodies so they get them to spend money, and free food and booze when they get there.
“One PL defender at a struggling club lost £500,000 on his mobile phone.
“Gambling on casino games is just too easy. You lose in seconds, on a spin.
“The England player who bet on his own transfer was sussed and the bet was voided. He had one account closed. He set up another £40,000 account for roulette. They let him play. They do pick up big names.
“If it was Joe Average, not a footballer, they would not be allowed to continue playing. They would have been banned.” The Association of British Bookmakers said a host of new responsible measures had been
If it was Joe Average, not a star, they would have been banned INSIDER ON HOW PLAYERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BET
introduced in a bid to stop gambling getting out of hand.
They include giving players the ability to set a limit on money or time they spend gaming. There is a “self-exclusion” scheme and £50 stake limits.
But our source claimed the player who lost £500,000 on mobile casino games was allowed to continue betting. With other forms of gambling his losses grew to £700,000 in just a few months.
The insider added: “He had 39 pence left. At one stage, he had £1.2million.”
The claims came after Burnley star Joey Barton was banned from football for 18 months on a FA betting rap.
He admitted to being addicted to gambling after placing 1,260 bets on matches last year. But the whistleblower said: “Barton is typical. There is one Premier League outfit with a lot of players who deposited money together.”
Former Stoke winger Matthew Etherington said bookies should refuse to take wagers from players if their gambling is getting out of control.
The 35-year-old, who lost £1.5million due to his addiction, added: “They need to recognise those that are vulnerable and don’t take bets from them.
“I was targeted. We had gambling companies come into the club and say, ‘You can bet with us’.
“They knew we were young, a bit vulnerable and had lots of money. Looking back, it was very irresponsible of them.”
But it is not just sports stars who plough huge amounts of dosh into bookies. The insider said a business tycoon is £6million up on his account, often risking £100,000 on a single football match result. There are an estimated 250,000 problem gamblers in the UK, with about half a million people deemed to be “at risk” of addiction, according to GambleAware
Chief executive Marc Etches said: “Young men are among the most vulnerable. Sport is dominated by them. It is about having time and liking risky behaviour. A lot of work needs to be done to help them.” But our source said problem gamblers could still “walk into a branch and open an account” even after they had self-excluded. FA chairman Greg Clarke has ordered a report into whether it is appropriate for clubs to have official partnerships with gambling and betting firms.
The body, which has a deal with Ladbrokes, is expected to make a decision this summer.
A worldwide ban on betting on football came into force in 2014 for all those involved in the game.
That means stars cannot gamble on any match or competition. It is also illegal to gamble on any football-related matter including, the transfer of players, hiring of managers or team selection.
National Gambling Helpline is 0808 8020 133.
WEALTHY footballers, who gamble away fortunes that should set them up for life, are high-profile victims of an addiction that causes untold human misery.
Sensible gambling is fun and occasionally rewarding. But the industry can not wash its hands of responsibility – particularly when bored, impressionable stars are lured with tickets to plush events or handed free booze.
Profiting from someone’s out-of-control obsession is immoral. Victims deserve protection as well as help.