Gambling and Rugby League - dancing with the devil

[Coxy]

A very very good article IMO.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... -ukv7.html

Brad Fittler described the scourge that has infiltrated rugby league better than anyone when he said that by accepting money from the gambling industry the NRL had allowed the ''devil'' into the room. Fittler provided his insight while defending the Sydney Roosters team he coached last year against allegations they'd thrown their last game of the season.

Many sports, including Italian football, American baseball and cricket, have had their collective integrity questioned by similar accusations. League has had its own scandals - the grand finals of 1952 and '63 are muddied by the suggestion a referee was involved in a ''fix''.

As Fittler dismissed the Roosters rumour as ''ridiculous'', he noted the tighter the gambling industry gripped league's throat, the more people would question results, such as the Roosters losing to North Queensland by 16 points after establishing an 16-0 lead. Adding fuel to that fire was SportsTAB suspending betting on the morning of the match after a rush of money on the Cowboys to win by 13-plus. The allegations, while untrue, sullied the farewell of Craig Fitzgibbon, one of the game's finest.

Fittler's devil is in the loungeroom when Channel Nine's coverage is punctuated by news of an ever-changing market and updated odds. Commentator Ray Warren says he finds it difficult to encourage viewers to punt - albeit responsibly.

But gambling can compromise good people and it was noted during the week as the former head of the NSWRL, Kevin Humphreys, was buried that his career, which bordered on administrative genius, was brought undone by it. It's cruel Humphreys is remembered by many for a flaw rather than his grand accomplishments, including the masterstroke - the introduction of Origin football.

TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie points out that gambling is a legal activity and that his company has separate deals with the NRL and Channel Nine, but as is the case with alcohol and smoking, legality doesn't necessarily make it right.

 

[Huge]

Punting has been around since sport has been around, nothing will change that so keep your friends close and your enemies closer still. Don't think odd scorelines are always necessary...............sometimes players will get a field goal in at the strangest times....like when they've got a good lead. What do you think it might mean to a bookie at certain times. or players who may have a friend who backed the team to win by the odd margin instead of the common result of even numbers...cos, I may just be cynical.

 

[OXY-351]

Just bet on Brett Morris to be the FTS each week. That's not even gambling in my opinion. It's an investment

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

haha yup paid off for me on fri night

 

[Coxy]

And while I'm not much of a gambler myself (I think I've bet $50 in my whole life), I have no real dramas with it.

But this article makes a good point. The more ingrained betting agencies are in the game, certainly in terms of how much money they put into sponsorship, the more the waters get murky about the relationship.

Agencies want to make a buck, so they want the results to favour their bottom line.

It causes a very unwelcome conflict of interest.

As Huge says, something we have to deal with, but I hope we deal with it better than we do alcohol!

 

[Jeba]

Sponsorship isn't just the bottom line with corporate bookmakers though. In addition to the money they pump into the sport to get their names up in lights and on the back of jerseys, they also have to pay to use the product, and that is worth a hell of a lot of money to the NRL. If the game is looking at anything towards a salary cap overhaul, the bookies would play a big part in this. They inject a lot of money into the game and with the NRL continually underselling the game, we need every cent.

 

[Coxy]

Yes, but it's an uneasy relationship just ripe for corruption.

 

[OXY-351]

haha yup paid off for me on fri night

I put money on Morris and Folau each week. Folau went off last year, and Morris is doing the same this year. I thout izzy used to be a crazily short odds to score first, but Morris has taken it to a new level. $4.50 to score the first try is rediculosly short when you consider there is 25 other players on the field.

 

[Professor47]

Yes, but it's an uneasy relationship just ripe for corruption.

Indeed it is. Theoretically it works great - but we would be naive to think it doesn't go on in bigger corporations... of course it does.

That is the thing - I personally really dont think it exists in the NRL right NOW... but if it ever gets big like we want it too... it MIGHT... but I doubt in the big games... I don't know... it really is dancing with the devil.

I've no problem with the gambling endorsement though - I've no problem with gambling/alcohol/tobacco even endorsing the game... I think the NRL needs that until it gets where it wants to be...