pro Tennis flash...gambling at the Casino!

Horses for Courses

Newport...2nd week of July. Front page news in Newport Daily News and the Providence Journal on Saturday the 10th, yes a slow news day, was the report of extraordinary gambling action on a first round match between British qualifier Richard Bloomfield and Christophe Rocchus. A nothing match, right? Except that a British gambling site fielded over a million pounds sterling on that match, including a massive bump after the first set.

Since when is an otherwise inoccuous match, essentially the lowest ranked match you'll ever find on the official ATP tour, worthy of such extreme betting action? The anti-corruption Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) raised a red flag and began an official investigation.

The national cable sports outfit covering the event never touched the story, and why would they? Their mission was to sell the tournament, the sport, the event. Tennis lifers Barry Mackay on Donald Dell would never be confused with Edward R. Murrow, nor should they be.

So let's use this forum to explore. The pro tennis gambling that caused the formation of the TIU was generated by Russian mobsters who went after the families of countrymen to exploit an unregulated gambling system that allows a bettor to wager before and DURING a match. The watershed moment was 3 years ago when word #4 Nik Davydenko withdrew from a match he was winning with a "sore toe," allowing a longshot to score a big win, with the overwhelming majority of the money was on the longshot. It clearly smelled, and it was easy to connect the dots. The only reason it didn't fully unravel was that cooler heads were worried for the health Davydenko's family back in mother Russia. Boris Badenov implied that their health was in jeapordy unless Nik gave them the inside dope on the sore toe. The toe got worse but the wife and kids stayed healthy--almost a happy ending.

The only pro tennis player ever sanctioned by a TIU ruling was Russian journeywoman Ekaterina Bychkova (this really is her name, Bitch-kova) who got hit with a $5K fine and a 30 day suspension for not reporting that Russky mobsters were seeking inside dope. This follows the same theme as the Davydenko affair. You can almost imagine Moscow's answer to Paulie Walnuts and Michael hatching this plot in a Russian episode of the Sopranos.

But what about the Bloomfield debacle? Just before the match started, Bloomfield was a 4-1 favorite. Bloomfield hadn't won an official tour match in over 3 years, and suddenly he's a 4-1 favorite? Counterintuitive is an understatement. Oh, and just to give the story some legs, here's another key ingredient--that single tour match he won three years ago? It's also under investigation because of lopsided gambling money. Guy wins two matches in 3 years, and both light up the queer meter because of absurd gambling money movement. WTF?

There's actually a theory that makes sense, and it doesn't require a visit to Vladimir's Soprano's Meat Shop in suburban Moscow to roll it out. Most sports people are familiar with the betting axiom "Horses for courses." When it's raining, bet on the mudder. If a horse can't run on turf, leave it alone. Let's apply the theory to humans and grass court tennis. Lawn tennis is only played one month a year on the pro-tour, and the clay-loving South Americans and many Europeans hate it. No rallies, mostly serve and volley. Highly ranked "clay pigeons," guys who make their living outlasting opponents with lengthy rallies in five-hour matches in the dirt, get crushed at Wimbledon. Any self-respecting gambler in England knows that fellows comfortable on grass have a huge edge over those that aren't. Richard Bloomfield spent much of his playing life on grass. Davis Cup here, Queens Club there, nearly all of his training was on the soggy sod of jolly old England. This is just the kind of edge a wise bettor loves.

So here are the facts: Bloomfield is ranked 392 rungs below Rocchus going into their July 6 1st-round match, 160 to 552. A nothing match barely makes the board, listed as even money (who cares!).  Money starts rolling in on this British gambling site Betfair. (Again, these names are not made up.) Moments before first ball, Bloomfield money has caused a huge swing in the odds to 4-1 against #552 Bloomfield. By the time the second set rolls around, the odds are 8-1 for the 552nd ranked player in the world, a tall pasty Brit with a big serve against a short Euro clay courter. A no-brainer, if you're versed in grass court competition. The money is coming in from London, not Leningrad; these British cats go through it every June searching for flawed odds on daily Wimbledon action.

Oh, and that other Bloomfield match from 2007 that was investigated for unusual gambling $ movement? A Wimbledon first rounder. Case closed. No mobsters, no Po-Russkies involved. Simply a matter of horses for courses. Vladimir and Paulie should take notes, grass court tennis might keep the authorities at bay.