It was the news that nobody wanted to hear: the operation to rescue Emiliano Sala and his pilot, David Ibbotson, has now been changed to a recovery mission. That suggests we should fear the worse and mourn the loss of two men in the most tragic of circumstances. The search had recommenced, with Guernsey Police […]
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Brexit & Football: Will Leaving the EU Spell the End of the Premier League As We Know It?
There hasn’t been a more divisive political issue in the UK in decades than Brexit. Everyone has an opinion on it – whether they actually made the effort to get to a polling booth or not, and the big EU divorce has even worked its way into that usually apolitical pursuit: professional football. If a […]
Rooney’s Rap Sheet: After Airport Arrest We Ask Why Wayne Can’t Keep Out of Trouble?
Oh Wazza. What have you done this time? Wayne Rooney, English football’s all-time leading international goalscorer, has a habit of getting himself in bother, and despite reaching ‘maturity’ at 33 years of age he shows no signs of slowing down on the hell-raising front. It was reported this week that he was arrested just prior […]
Manchester United Sack Jose Mourinho: Is it Farewell or Good Riddance, and What Next for the Portuguese Manager?
Given how his career has gone up until this point, Jose Mourinho’s reign as Manchester United manager was only ever going to end in acrimony and heartache. Dull, efficient football and rifts with players and staff have been commonplace in the Portuguese manager’s most recent work, and once again that famous ego of his has […]
The Brexit Affect: UK & Irish Horse Racing Could Look Very Different After Leaving the EU
The controversy surrounding Brexit continues to rumble on, and at this moment in time it would be fair to suggest that few people – and certainly not our elected politicians – seem to have a clue as to whether the scheduled March 2019 completion date will be kept to. The confusion is plaguing many industries, […]
Gambling Advertising in Sport: Is it Game Over for Betting Shirt Sponsors in Football?
It’s been a tough few months for the betting industry. First off, the government waded in to cut the maximum stake allowed on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) to £2, from the previous £100. This will lead to significant loss of profits. And now the Remote Gaming Association (RGA) has agreed a voluntary ban on […]
Match Fixing in Sport: How Deep Does it Go and Should Punters be Concerned?
There was outrage in the world of snooker recently with the news that two of its most promising stars have been found guilty of match fixing. On the eve of the UK Championship, one of snooker’s ‘triple crown’ events, Yu Delu and Cao Yupeng – two prominent talents from China, one of the sport’s most […]
Fans Behaving Badly: Football Violence, Riots, Protests and Disruptions
It’s not been a great week for those who insist that hooliganism and football violence is a thing of the past. The organised brawls of the 1980s might be less prevalent – at least in public areas, anyway, but there is still episodes of spontaneous violence that can have severe consequences for those involved. The […]
Cheating in Darts: Coughing, Farting & Outright Deception
Anybody who watched the Grand Slam of Darts 2018 in November was in for a treat. Not only was it a fantastic spectacle as far as the quality of play was concerned, there were also a couple of incidents that confirm darts as a unique, and highly entertaining, sport to watch. Gone are the days […]
FOBT Maximum Stake Limit: How the Government Has Made a Shambles of Our Era’s Most Contentious Betting Issue
Even in amongst the Brexit fiasco, the government’s decision-making as far as the FOBT maximum stake is concerned has been chaotic, badly managed and a damning indictment of this government’s lack of courage in its convictions. To cut a long story short (you can read a more detailed version of events below), the Tories have […]
Does Football Have a Gambling Problem? Sturridge Latest to be Charged by the FA For Breaching Betting Rules
In an alarmingly high profile case of what is becoming something of a blight on the beautiful game, Daniel Sturridge has been charged by the FA with misconduct relating to betting activities carried out in January of this year. There are two charges here: one relates to betting on football matches – which is outlawed […]
A History of The Tote: One of Sports Betting’s Oldest Institutions
It is one of the oldest and best-loved betting brands in the UK, and yet in recent times the Tote has started to resemble that clapped-out old banger that you can’t bear to part with in favour of a newer model. As the institution closes in on its 100th year, it looked for all the […]