A possible “phantom match” controversy has arisen in Brazil, echoing a comparable event in Ukraine earlier this year.
For those not in the know, a “phantom match” describes a game that is promoted and available for wagering, but never actually occurs.
This specific match, allegedly contested between Andrews Brazil and Gremio Serrano, is being probed with a staggering £1.4 million ($1.7 million) in wagers hanging in the balance. More than 200 bookies were supposedly offering lines on the contest, despite assertions from Lucas Bezerra, legal counsel for Gremio Serrano, that the club never dispatched a squad to compete.
Concurrently, Marlus Dalledone, an attorney acting for Andrews, maintains the match transpired as scheduled.
This scenario mirrors a previous “phantom match” dispute in Ukraine, which elicited a declaration from sports data supplier BetGenius.
They elaborated: “While gathering data from a variety of Ukrainian football matches, our integrity and intelligence systems signaled worries regarding four particular games. These matches, seemingly organized and publicized through official avenues as cup ties between professional clubs, were ones for which we employed a local observer to gather information. Unfortunately, it seems we – alongside a number of our sportsbook clients – have fallen prey to deception.”
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