The betting world always has the potential to get a bit murky when you consider the wide range of markets that are out there, but the Kieran Trippier case has raised some interesting questions about what bookmakers should accept bets on.
Obviously betting on live sport makes sense because it’s unpredictable and that’s why we love it, but surely it’s their own fault if they start taking bets on events that are either predetermined or easy to gain inside knowledge of?
There are hundreds of reasons why a potential transfer would fall through so it’s never a sure thing, but there will always be a window of time when a player is aware the move is completed before it’s officially confirmed, and it’s only natural that they’ll want to tell friends and family.
The betting companies aren’t getting a lot of sympathy just now in regards to Trippier because you can argue it’s their own fault from trying to profit from the market, while they have absolutely no right to tell anyone when they can share big personal news with friends and family.
Despite that, Some of the messages between Trippier and a friend have been leaked and admittedly they don’t look brilliant from their point of view:
Kieran Trippier’s texts to the bloke he had bet on his move to Atletico?? pic.twitter.com/4uLkJKl6KO
— Sam (@afcsammm) January 5, 2021
If the guy has only bet £22 on two occasions on fairly short odds then it’s really not going to make that difference, while only he and Trippier will know how close they are and how jokey the conversation was.
Obviously there is some betting chat in there and that’s probably where the problems will arise for Trippier in terms of being charged or banned, but betting companies have to know this will happen if they want to take bets on things that people can find out the answer to.