A sports data company, BetGenius, has addressed claims of match manipulation in Ukraine. During the COVID-19 restrictions, there was a surge in wagering scams connected to soccer, including signs of numerous questionable matches held in Ukraine in late March. Information from these matches was distributed to betting platforms, which then provided markets on the games.
It’s approximated that as much as £100,000 ($124,000) was bet on these matches, sometimes referred to as “phantom games,” with sportsbooks probably disbursing funds to those who rigged the games before recognizing the deception.
Four lower-tier Ukrainian teams, including FC Berdyansk, utilized Facebook to publicize an exhibition competition called the Azoz Cup. BetGenius supplied data on the games, and sportsbooks like BetFred, BWin, and 188bet established betting options. These were eventually revealed as dishonest.
In a communication, the sports wagering service stated: “Recently, our security and investigation system identified concerns regarding four matches midway through a sequence of Ukrainian soccer fixtures.” The company continued: “These matches seem to have been coordinated and advertised through legitimate avenues as a cup tournament among professional teams, and we contracted a regional observer to monitor these matches for us. Regrettably, we, along with numerous of our sportsbook clients, seem to have been subjected to a scam.”
BetGenius insists that these matches were not “phantom games.”
The competition’s safety regulations dictate that their analysts must validate the legitimacy of a game using audio-visual methods, allowing them to ensure that the game actually occurred. The announcement continued. However, they are now conscious that these contests were not formally authorized and may have been orchestrated by criminal organizations for illicit gains.
The tournament’s subsequent phase of games, the championship and the consolation match, were slated for March 27th and were to be contested on March 28th. Nevertheless, all operations stopped on March 29th, and the Facebook profile was deactivated.
The Ukrainian Football Association stated that because the nation was still under COVID-19 restrictions, no official games were allowed, therefore these matches could not have happened and were concocted to deceive wagering platforms.
Despite this, BetGenius claimed that some matches did occur, even if they were not completely authorized. The firm maintains it possesses proof of the matches happening and is willing to collaborate with the Ukrainian FA and regional officials to uncover the truth.
Genius Sports, the parent organization of BetGenius, is no longer providing coverage of games from Ukraine’s lower divisions.