A sports data firm, BetGenius, has addressed claims of manipulated matches in Ukraine. Amidst the COVID-19 shutdown, there was a rise in wagering-linked scams in soccer, including signs of numerous questionable games in Ukraine in late March. Illicit information from these games was peddled to betting platforms, which then launched betting options.
Estimates suggest up to £100,000 ($124,000) was staked on these contests, occasionally dubbed “phantom games,” with sportsbooks allegedly disbursing payouts before detecting the scheme.
Four lower-tier Ukrainian teams, among them FC Berdyansk, utilized Facebook to advertise an exhibition competition known as the Azoz Cup. BetGenius purportedly furnished data on the games, and operators like BetFred, BWin, and 188bet offered markets until the event was revealed as a hoax.
“In the past week, with several Ukrainian football matches underway, our security and monitoring systems identified concerns with four specific matches,” the sportsbook platform stated. “These matches seemed to be orchestrated and promoted through legitimate avenues as a cup tournament between professional clubs, prompting us to employ a local observer for coverage. Regrettably, we, alongside a number of our sports betting partners, became targets of a deceptive operation.” BetGenius stressed that the matches were not “phantom games.”
Our game security measures mandate that our data analysts confirm the legitimacy of competitions using audio-visual methods, guaranteeing that the contests actually occurred. We have recently uncovered that these matches lacked official approval and may have been influenced by illegal groups for illicit gains.
The tournament’s final stage was initially planned for March 27th, with the championship and consolation matches on March 28th. However, all games were halted on March 29th, and the associated Facebook page was removed.
The Football Federation of Ukraine issued a statement declaring that no sanctioned matches were allowed due to the nation remaining under COVID-19 restrictions, rendering these games infeasible and likely falsified to manipulate wagering platforms.
Nevertheless, BetGenius asserts that certain matches did transpire, even without complete authorization. The organization claims they possess proof of the matches and are prepared to collaborate with the Football Federation of Ukraine and regional officials to uncover the truth.
Genius Sports, the parent organization of BetGenius, has ceased providing data on matches from lower-level Ukrainian leagues.
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