Gamblers Caught Cheating Online at Tennis Tournament
As sports gambling becomes more popular and more widely available at online gambling sites, tennis has become a sport of choice to play. Monday, at the Women's Tennis Asociation tournament in Antwerp, three gamblers trying to use a flaw in the system to cheat were expelled.
Ushers working the stands during matches of the Porximus Diamond Games spotted three men with laptops open during play. Upon closer inspection, the ushers determined the men were using online gambling pages. The group, consisting of two Russians and one German, were using the momentary delay between real time and the official online scoring of points as an opportunity to place bets.
After consulting with the WTA, tournament officials approached the men and told them they must either surrender their computers or leave. They choose to leave, but not before they were photographed to prevent attempts at reentry later in the week.
Tennis organizers worldwide are looking sharply for any indication of gambling influence or fixed matches in their sport after accusations last year that corruption and fixes were rampant. Among other issues, the number 4 men's player in the world, Nikolay Davydenko, was accused of having thrown a match.
Sports gambling will occur, regardless of legality. The best method for detecting potential fixes or undue influences on players remains input from sportsbooks, who track irregularities and notify officials to unusual betting patterns. After all, the goal of a fix is to steal from the bookie; the bookmaker has more to lose from a dishonest game than anyone.
It is important that tennis keep a watchful eye on players and fans, and do its best to prevent further damage to its reputation. An honest game is to the benefit of all in the long run.
