Phantom Fixtures Fuel Betting Concerns in Brazil and Ukraine

A “phantom fixture” in Brazil has ignited debate, reflecting a comparable event in Ukraine earlier this year. These illusory contests are promoted and available for wagering, yet the matches never transpire.

This specific game, purportedly between Andrews Brazil and Gremio Serrano, is under examination due to an astounding £1.4 million (US$1.7 million) wagered. More than 200 bookmakers allegedly offered odds on the match, even though Gremio Serrano’s legal representative, Lucas Bezerra, asserts the team never entered the pitch.

Nevertheless, Andrews’ attorney, Malus Daledone, maintains that the contest did happen.

This occurrence follows a series of “ghost games” in Ukraine, leading BetGenius, a sports information supplier, to release a statement to Gambling Insider. They disclosed apprehensions about four Ukrainian football matches, which were advertised as expert cup games and even had local statisticians unwittingly supplying data.

This underscores a troubling pattern of deceptive practices targeting the sports wagering sector, with both suppliers and patrons becoming casualties.