A marketing operation that could go very wrong. After having Argentinian streamer Spreen play for only ten seconds during an Argentinian D1 match between Riestra and Velez, local justice suspects the two clubs in a case of rigged bets. Several suspicious bets were detected by local bookmakers, who reported them to the justice system specializing in games of chance. An investigation is open.
Local bookmakers have decided not to pay the sums owed because they believe those who gambled had inside information. Spreen and Riestra president Cristian Fabbiani testified as defendants, while four others were cited to also give their version: Milton Céliz, Riestra captain, Gustavo Tortuga Fernández, the striker who replaced the streamer after a minute and a half game, Gustavo Quinteros, the coach of Vélez, and Agustín Bouzat, captain of the Velez team.
Abnormal bets on the tenure of Spreen
The investigation carried out by local justice was based on the sums bet in eleven legal gambling houses on two types of bets: on the tenure of Spreen and on his replacement during the first period. A total of 48 million pesos (or more than 45,000 euros) were bet on these eventualities, an unusual figure for this type of prediction explains the Argentinian media TyC Sports. The Argentine justice system is also concerned that even more colossal sums could have been bet in illegal bookmakers.
The average rating of these two possibilities was around 2.5, which means that for 48 million pesos invested, the betting sites owed a total of 120 million pesos (or more than 113,000 euros). Justice is seeking to know if Milton Céliz, as captain of the team, already knew that Spreen would only play ten seconds as a starter. The same goes for whoever replaced him.
A game plan known to everyone (or almost)
“Ogro” Fabbiani, Riestra’s coach, would also have indicated to the opposing coach that he was going to start the streamer in the week preceding the meeting. The latter even joked about the fact that he should let him play for at least 30 minutes. It remains to be determined whether the Velez players were aware of this. Those from Riestra have never hidden the fact that they knew their coach's plan with this media tenure of Spreen. It remains to be seen who bet on taking advantage of this information.
Original article published on RMC Sport
