Turkish soccer giant Galatasaray has suspended its shirt sponsorship deal with Serwin Global Solutions after allegations of illegal betting.

The contract, which runs for two years and is worth over $14m, promotes the digital news platform Meritking.news. The move attracted criticism as the site is allegedly linked to illegal betting operators. Galatasaray��s Vice President Niyazi Yelkencioglu initially defended the deal, insisting that the arrangement was only with the news portal, but the club has now U-turned.

ensure that our collaborations are conducted in a manner that protects the interests of our club��

��We have suspended the sponsorship agreements with Serwin Global Solutions SDN BHD until the information and claims provided to us are clarified,�� said a statement from Galatasaray. ��We will continue to ensure that our collaborations are conducted in a manner that protects the interests of our club.��

Yelkencioglu also claimed that the contract had a clause which would allow termination if any illegal activities were discovered, before insisting that it had been thoroughly reviewed by the club��s legal team.

The move was made even more controversial after fierce rivals Fenerbah?e filed several complaints to sporting authorities against Galatasaray, which included the sponsorship deal. The complaints were filed before a crucial match between the two teams, who sit in the top two positions in Turkey��s S��per?Lig, on Saturday, September 21.

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Ohtani makes history

Shohei Ohtani has written his name into the annals of baseball history, becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season.

picking up two steals and mashing three home runs as his team cruised to a 20-4 victory

The Los Angeles Dodgers star began the game against the Miami Marlins with 49 stolen bases and 48 home runs, and ended up with a monster game, picking up two steals and mashing three home runs as his team cruised to a 20-4 victory.

Ohtani had already joined the 30/30 club by August, becoming the third-fastest player in history to achieve the feat by games played. Later in the month, he became the fastest player to make the 40/40 club, before finally becoming the sole member of the 50/50 version.

$500k ball claimed

Upon hitting the legendary home run, the crowd saw some tussling as spectators competed for the now-iconic ball which sealed the record. One fan had reached out to catch what would be a hugely memorable piece of history, but his fielding skills let him down at the vital moment as it tumbled into the seats below.

The fan who eventually claimed the ball reportedly entered a discussion with Dodgers officials after the game, but in the end walked away from the stadium with it in his possession.

Speaking to NBC News, Dillon Kohler of auction firm and sports memorabilia specialists SCP Auctions, said the ball could fetch a significant price, saying: ��I wouldn��t be surprised if it��s $300,000-plus, maybe even over half a million dollars.��

Ohtani praised

A crowd of 15,548 was in attendance at LoanDepot Stadium in Miami to witness Ohtani��s triumph, rewarding him with a standing ovation in recognition of his historic feat. His teammates also sported 50/50 t-shirts which had been printed in advance in anticipation of the achievement.

The record books were not only edited for Ohtani��s performance over the season, either – he also became the first player with three home runs and two stolen bases in the same game, and the first player since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to achieve ten RBI and five extra-base hits in the same game.

The game also clinched a playoff spot for the Dodgers, which will mark Ohtani��s first ever postseason appearance.

That has to be the greatest baseball game of all time.��

Ohtani��s teammates and opposition alike were quick to herald his performance. Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux said: ��That has to be the greatest baseball game of all time. It has to be. There��s no way. It��s ridiculous. I��ve never seen anybody do that even in little leagues, so it��s crazy that he��s doing that at the highest level.��

The man himself, however, was far more modest. Speaking after the game, Ohtani said: ��If I��m being honest, it was something I wanted to get over as soon as possible because the balls were being exchanged every time I was up to bat.��

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The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have decimated the field in Circa Sports�� Circa Survivor NFL pick��em contest. Each greater than a touchdown favorite in Week 1 and Week 2 of the current NFL season, respectively, both lost, thus dooming thousands of entries in Survivor, as they were the two most popular incorrect picks. But fear not, those of you who have already been eliminated, as Circa is giving you what it calls the ��Circa Survivor Empathy Package.��

Everyone who finds themselves already out of the tournament through Week 2 is entitled to at least a two-night stay at Circa Resort & Casino, the D Las Vegas, or Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, November 4 through December 26, Monday through Thursday. Players who had three or more entries (up to ten were allowed) get three nights. Those who claim a package also get a day bed reservation at Stadium Swim.

Players may not choose the same team more than once.

In Circa Survivor, players pick one team to win straight-up each week of the NFL season (plus the Thanksgiving and Christmas slates). If that team wins, the entry moves on, if it loses, that entry is kaput. Players may not choose the same team more than once.

The contest had a $10 million guaranteed prize pool and a $1,000 rake-free buy-in.

Through Week 2, only 3,877 of the 14,266 entries remain. The last entry standing will receive the entire $14,266,000 prize pool. Should more than one person make it through to the end, as happened last year when four entries were perfect, they will split the total prize pool equally.

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Gibraltar-based iGaming content provider Pragmatic Play has made its UK sportsbook debut with its launch of DAZN Bet.

Pragmatic��s bow across the pond gives the brand a foothold in its third major European market after previous launches in Germany and Spain, again via DAZN Bet.   

According to a Pragmatic news release, DAZN Bet UK account holders can access ��pre-match and in-play data, player props, and bet builders.�� The release also talks up DAZN Bet UK��s new horse racing market.

Pragmatic Play��s Senior Vice President of Sports Gareth Crook, meanwhile, said his firm was proud to have launched in the UK, which has been in its plans for some time. 

��Entering the UK market with a competitive sportsbook product was an early ambition of ours,�� Crook stated. 

the most competitive and mature sports betting market��

The Pragmatic exec added that, while the UK was ��arguably the most competitive and mature sports betting market�� in the world, post-launch indicators of DAZN Bet UK are ��highly positive.�� 

DAZN Bet��s Managing Director Germany, Austria, UK & New Markets, Daniel Berthold, said the UK sportsbook launch ��aligned perfectly with our mission to deliver an innovative, dynamic and engaging sports betting experience to our UK customers.��

Berthold added: ��This step allows us to bring our unique proposition to the UK.��

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Beating the system

A Southfield, Michigan man is facing eight felony charges for ��exploiting a system vulnerability�� in Caesars Sportsbook that allowed him to wager more than $88m in little over two weeks.

made more than $2m in ��fictitious deposits�� into the sportsbook in April 2023

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) released a statement Wednesday revealing Jeffrey Saco, 38, allegedly made more than $2m in ��fictitious deposits�� into the sportsbook in April 2023.

Over 16 days, Sacco placed almost 10,000 bets at an average of $8,800 per bet. After his $88m betting spree courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook, Sacco transferred over $521,000 into his personal bank account, before ditching the sportbook��s app.

Sacco faces a preliminary examination hearing at the 86th District Court in Traverse City on October 4.

Jail time beckons

The Traverse City court judge charged Sacco with eight counts; namely larceny by conversion (��embezzling or unlawfully converting money��), three counts gambling activity-felony violation, and four charges of using a computer to commit a crime.

Sacco��s larceny charge carries a maximum 10-year jail sentence, the same term for each of his felony gambling charges. Each computer charge carries with it a maximum 20-year prison term.?

engaging in fraudulent activities with his mobile betting account��

According to the MGCB release, Caesars Sportsbook notified the state gaming board about a customer who was allegedly ��engaging in fraudulent activities with his mobile betting account.��

Lathrup Village Police arrested Sacco on September 4, with agents from the Michigan Department of Attorney General��s Criminal Investigation Division taking him to Grand Traverse Sheriff��s Department in Traverse City on September 5. He was arraigned and released on a $500,000 personal bond the same day.

Mutual appreciation

Both the MGCB and the Michigan Attorney General��s Office praised each other’s involvement in bringing Sacco to face justice. MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said in a release his body appreciated the cooperative partnership with the AG��s office, before warning that the MGCB ��takes the enforcement of gambling laws and regulations very seriously.��

Mutually, Michigan AG Dana Nessel said his office appreciated the MGCB partnership. Nessel added the pair not only work together to enforce Michigan gambling laws, but also to ��prosecute criminals taking advantage of legitimate gaming venues.��

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A new NFL betting phenomenon

NFL underdogs are off to a blazing start at online betting sites.?

NFL Underdogs of at least 5.5 points are now 9-1 against the spread and 5-5 straight-up

The Atlanta Falcons�� shocking come-from-behind win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football was just the latest example of David taking down Goliath. NFL Underdogs of at least 5.5 points are now 9-1 against the spread and 5-5 straight-up, which would result in a large profit for bettors.

Why is this happening and how long will the trend hold? Here��s our analysis.

Why NFL underdogs betting works

Point spreads can be deceptive for a couple of reasons.

First, the value we mentioned of 5.5 points isn��t all that different from five points, or 4.5 points, or four points.

NFL spread betting heavily deals with the importance of the critical numbers three, six, and seven. These are the most common scoring denominations and are often individually or in combination the difference between finals scores. 

Eight of 16 NFL Week 2 games were decided by three, six, or seven points, including:

• Commanders 21, Giants 18
• Packers 16, Colts 10
• Jets 24, Titans 17
• Vikings 23, 49ers 17
• Seahawks 23, Patriots 20
• Raiders 26, Ravens 23
• Steelers 13, Broncos 6
• Texans 19, Bears 13

Bettors may see a 5.5-point line and take the opinion that it��s worth laying the points with the favored team without considering that there isn��t a great difference in lines between three and six points of value. That��s one way that oddsmakers can trick novice gamblers into taking unfavorable odds. 

the difference between 5.5-, 6.5-, and 7.5-point lines is enormous

Conversely, the difference between 5.5-, 6.5-, and 7.5-point lines is enormous. Just as many games finished with six- or seven-point differentials as did those by more than seven points (four).

That��s the human perspective on why NFL underdogs have been so successful in betting��what about a more analytical, numbers-driven reason?

Look at the numbers

Stay with us here��numbers have meaning, and meaning has value.

NFL teams scored an average of 21.4 points per game through two weeks of actions. That��s the lowest amount since teams averaged 20.7 points per game in 2006 and a 1.83 percent decrease on the 21.8 average from last year.

When average scoring goes down, the importance of points goes up. 

Let��s look at two games from Week 2. In the first, the Kansas City Chiefs failed to cover as -6.5 point favorites in a game that finished with 51 total points (26-25).

In the second, the Bears successfully covered as +6.5 underdogs in a game with 32 total points (19-13).

The line was exactly the same in both situations. However, 6.5 points equals 20.3 percent of the total points in a game with 32, compared to just 12.7 percent of a game with 51 total points.

points have more value in low-scoring games

The takeaway here is that points have more value in low-scoring games, which gives a mathematical advantage to underdogs.

Combine that with the record-low level of quarterback production (which we also analyzed), and that��s a recipe for upsets.

Looking at Week 3, half of the 16 games involve lines of at least 5.5 points. They include:

• Patriots (+6.5) at Jets
• Giants (+6.5) at Browns
• Broncos (+6.5) at Buccaneers
• Panthers (+5.5) at Raiders
• Dolphins (+5.5) at Seahawks
• Rams (+7.5) vs. 49ers
• Jaguars (+5.5) at Bills
• Commanders (+8.5) at Bengals

Three of those games have projected totals below 40 points. Those (and the line��s percentage of the points total) are:

• Patriots (17.3 percent) at Jets
• Giants (16.9 percent) at Browns
• Broncos (16.5 percent) at Buccaneers

The post Betting on NFL Underdogs Has Been Highly Profitable… How Long Will It Continue? appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.

New Jersey-based BetMGM has made a big move in the sports betting market after it inked a multi-year partnership with Gannett Co., the parent brand of the USA Today Network.???

sports betting odds and content

In the deal announced Monday, BetMGM becomes the preferred iGaming partner for USA Today Sports. Holding firm Gannett took to X with news of the deal that will see BetMGM provide sports betting odds and content:?

With the USA Today Network spread across 200 local US markets in 43 states, it��s no surprise BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said his brand was proud to ink a partnership that gives it ��unrivaled reach at a local and national level [and] enables us to connect with a massive audience.��

Gannett��s Chairman and CEO Michael Reed meanwhile was ��thrilled�� by the deal with the iGaming subsidiary co-owned by MGM Resorts International and Entain Plc. 

In what must be music to the ears of the iGaming brand��s marketing department, Reed said the deal��s goal is to deliver BetMGM��s ��trusted sports betting information to our audience of more than 44 million sports fans.��

Greenblatt added that via BetMGM��s odds and insights integrations, the brand will empower USA Today Sports fans to stay ��informed and engaged with their favorite teams and games.�� The BetMGM CEO ended his statement saying his company is looking forward to a successful partnership that ��fuels the excitement of sports betting throughout football season and beyond.��

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Jay-Z for Everton?

For several seasons, some have considered Everton to be the basket case of the English Premier League (EPL). Once a giant of the English game, the Merseyside club has spent much of the last decade lurching from crisis to crisis, with off-field issues often spilling out and leading to on-pitch problems.

But could all that be about to change and via an unlikely source? Could a surprising knight in shining armor be about to ride to their rescue?

Who knows �C nothing is ever a given where Everton is concerned �C but yesterday it was reported that a new consortium is interested in buying the club, including US rapper and billionaire Jay-Z.

investment of around $350m in Fanatics

The 54-year-old is now far more than a rapper and has used his multi-millions to make a string of investments. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur recently announced an investment of?around $325m in Fanatics – the sporting goods company and sportsbook operator that has grown massively in recent years in the US and is looking to extend beyond its shores.

Moshiri woes

Jay-Z won��t be going it alone, of course, as the consortium said to be interested in buying out Everton��s controversial owner Farhad Moshiri is being led by John Textor. As reported in The Sun, the US rap star is one of several partners that Textor has spoken to as he looks to put together an offer to buy the Merseyside club.

Moshiri originally bought the club back in 2016 and initially found favor with the Everton fans after pumping millions into the club.

The money was used to pay off debts and bring in big names both on and off the pitch, arguably the biggest of the lot being Carlo Ancelotti �C currently the head coach of Real Madrid �C under whom they finished 10th and 12th in the EPL. Among the big-name players brought in during that period was Colombian superstar James Rodriguez.    

three consecutive relegation battles

By Everton standards, those were heady days and since Ancelotti��s departure in June 2021, they have been involved in three consecutive relegation battles under three different managers.

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was chosen to replace Ancelotti but it was no match made in heaven and the Spaniard lasted only six months in the dugout before being replaced by Frank Lampard. Again, it didn��t work out as the Everton board had hoped and Lampard lasted just a year before being sacked.

Dyche in trouble

The current incumbent of the Toffees�� technical area is Sean Dyche, once of Burnley, but four straight defeats at the start of the new season have plunged his reign into doubt. What has made this season-opening doubly difficult to stomach for Everton fans is that their last two games have been lost 3-2 from 2-0 winning positions.

loggerheads with the club��s owners and board

But this has been a crisis in the making for a long time and the Ancelotti years were outliers in a spell that has often seen Everton fans at loggerheads with the club��s owners and board. Even in times of relative calm, the unrest was only ever a game or two away from spilling over and there was a time when the club��s owner and board members were advised by police to stay away from Goodison Park for their safety.

Unsurprisingly, Moshiri has been trying to sell the club for a while but has found it to be a difficult, painstaking, and fraught process. Multiple talks with multiple prospective buyers have taken place before breaking down, and advanced talks with The Friedkin Group and, earlier this year, 777 Partners both failed at the final hurdle.

New 52,000-seater stadium

Part of the problem for Moshiri and any prospective new owner is that the club is in the process of building a new, stunning, state-of-the-art stadium in the Bramley-Moore Dock area of North Liverpool.

At an estimated cost of ��760m ($1bn), the financing of the stadium, which is due to be completed later this year, will have a significant impact on any deal. ?

new-look ownership group

So far, all prospective deals have been deemed unworkable, but maybe Moshiri can finally agree on one with Textor, Jay-Z and company that will satisfy all parties and see Everton take ownership of their new 52,000-seater stadium with a new-look ownership group and board in situ.

If successful, Jay-Z will be the latest in an increasingly long line of US sportsmen and celebrities who have taken ownership or part-ownership of an English football club.

From Hollywood to England

League One Wrexham is famously owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds?and?Rob?McElhenney. The club played last night against Birmingham City who, among their ownership group, include retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

Even US basketball superstar LeBron James is in on the act with his link-up with Fenway Sports Group entitling him to a minority stake in Liverpool.

Only time will tell if the Textor/Jay-Z/Everton deal ever becomes a reality but such has been the level of angst among the blue half of Merseyside over the last decade, even a glimmer of hope for a brighter future has to be embraced.

For Jay-Z, the joke writes itself. He once famously wrote a track entitled 99 Problems. If the Everton deal goes through, better make that 100.

The post Everton��s Search for New Ownership Could Soon Be Rapped Up With Jay-Z appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.

Unlawful data sharing

The data protection arm of the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has ��reprimanded�� Flutter-owned Sky Betting & Gaming for unlawfully sharing subscribers�� details with advertising firms.

complaint by pressure group

According to The Guardian on Tuesday, the telling off by the Information Commissioner��s Office (ICO) came after the regulator investigated Flutter��s Sky Betting & Gaming holding brand Bonne Terre Ltd after a complaint by pressure group Clean Up Gambling.

The not-for-profit body alleged the Flutter iGaming subsidiary, whose brands include Sky Bet, Sky Vegas, Sky Bingo, Sky Casino and Sky Poker, was ��misusing its customers�� personal data to target vulnerable gamblers.��

Upon investigation, the ICO said it found zero evidence Sky��s intention was to target at-risk gamblers.?

Fortunate finding

A Sky Betting & Gaming spokesperson stated the iGaming firm ��welcomed�� the all-clear on the vulnerable gambling accusation after the ICO��s ��exhaustive 18-month investigation.��

What the probe uncovered, however, was that the Flutter firm had, without customers�� consent, processed their data via advertising cookies over a seven-week period in early 2023. Sky then immediately passed customers�� data onto advertising tech firms before it gave customers the option to accept or decline cookies.

In a statement, ICO Deputy Commissioner Stephen Bonner said seemingly tailored ads, such as a commercial for sneakers popping up after joining a gym online, were commonplace.?Bonner added, however, that while some people may be happy to consent to these ads, others might not appreciate them when they impinge on the more ��sensitive aspects of our digital activity.��

personal information being shared with advertisers��

��For example, if you are visiting a gambling website or looking up concerning health symptoms, you may want to prevent this personal information being shared with advertisers.��

The spokesperson for Flutter��s UK iGaming brand blamed the breach on an ��accidental technical error.�� The exec added Sky ��rectified this error within a day of becoming aware of it.��

Dealing with the past

Clean Up Gambling first leveled the claim against Sky Bet��s ��invasive�� online data retrieval processes that involved ��widespread illegality�� back in August 2022.

The probe may have brought back bad memories for Flutter of a Sky Vegas free spins promo sent to vulnerable customers in 2021, for which the UKGC fined it ��1.17m ($2.24m).

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The Major League Baseball (MLB) player��s union has filed a lawsuit against major sportsbook operators, including FanDuel and DraftKings, for using the likenesses and names of players in marketing campaigns without the necessary permission to do so. This could have a major knock-on impact on how operators promote player prop bets if the plaintiffs are successful.

A complaint filed on Monday in a Manhattan state court named Underdog Fantasy and FanDuel as defendants, while a lawsuit in a Philadelphia federal court relates to Bet365 Group and DraftKings.

punitive and compensatory damages for what the union claims are ��flagrant�� violations

The plaintiffs want punitive and compensatory damages for what the union claims are ��flagrant�� violations that protect the publicity rights of almost all active players in the big leagues. The lawsuits contend that commercial usage of likenesses and names is integral for professional sportspeople for the ��return on their substantial career investment.��

The NFL Players Association also went after DraftKings recently for not compensating players after using their likenesses when releasing non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The same law firm is representing the MLB and NFL players.

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Independent panel will hear case

As things stand, Manchester City is evens to win the 2024-25 English Premier League (EPL) after just four games. But for how much longer?

Things could soon change but not on the soccer pitch.

It��s been a long time coming but, finally, Manchester City vs the EPL is about to kick off. We don��t know where it��s about to kick off because the hearing is taking place at an unknown location, but today is the day when 115 charges �C rumored to have now risen to 130 �C against the EPL champions get heard for the first time.

City stands charged with breaking the financial rules

The hearing will be complex, hence the long delay between the charges being announced and finally being heard, but City stands charged with breaking the financial rules of the competition it has won for the last four seasons �C an EPL record.

The charges will be presided over and judged by an independent panel who are expecting the hearing to last for ten weeks with the verdict not expected to be announced until early-2025.

What is Man City charged with?

• 54x failure to provide accurate financial information from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
• 14x failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18.
• 5x failure to comply with UEFA��s rules including Financial Fair Play (FFP) 2013-14 to 2017-18.
• 7x breaching EPL’s Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR) 2015-16 to 2017-18.
• 35x failure to cooperate with EPL investigations December 2018 – February 2023.

Man City has refuted the allegations all along and expressed its ��surprise�� that the charges have been brought at all. Their official line is they ��look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all�� but the body of evidence against them appears considerable.

super-rich owners

The bottom line is that the EPL think they have evidence to suggest that Man City manipulated funds within its accounts and via parent companies to allow its super-rich owners to pump more money into the club in such a way that circumvented the rules around financial fair play, and profit and sustainability.

This, of course, would be hugely advantageous to City as it has at its disposal what appears to be an almost bottomless pit of money. For the other 19 teams in the EPL, it represents an advantage that, in recent seasons, has become almost insurmountable.

What happens next?

If Man City is found guilty of some or all of the charges, then what happens next is unclear. This case, after all, involves arguably the world��s most successful clubs right now, accused of being a serial cheater by the same organization that it has dominated for most of the last decade �C the EPL.

It��s complicated for sure. Man City is but one part of a worldwide network of 13 football clubs that is owned by a billionaire member of the family that rules Abu Dhabi.

The hearing will revolve around multiple charges (as listed above) that occurred over 14 years, and don��t just pertain to manipulating the rules around ownership and funding. Also included is the equally serious offence of subverting the current rules and regulations by not providing financial information as requested by the EPL.

Sheikh Mansour��s millions

The big problem for City is the tangible upturn in its on-field fortunes coincides directly with the period that is being investigated. Before then, it was an average EPL club that hovered around the mid-table but since the arrival of Sheikh Mansour��s millions, it has become one of world soccer��s elite clubs. ?

And if found guilty, all of those trophies won during that period will be tainted and come with an asterisk. They face becoming the Lance Armstrong of soccer.

But it doesn��t end there. A guilty verdict would also cast huge doubts over the future of Pep Guardiola as manager and some of its top players, who may wish to disassociate themselves from the club. It could even lead to compensation claims from other clubs affected by City��s actions. There is even a suggestion that it could extend beyond football and potentially put a strain on the UK��s relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

the best lawyers money can buy

But right now, that��s all conjecture and the one thing we do know is that Sheikh Mansour��s uber-wealth will mean City is going to be represented by the best lawyers money can buy; lawyers who have had around 20 months to prepare their case. ??

It��s not the first time City has been in the dock though. Ten years ago, the club was sanctioned by UEFA for breaching their financial regulations, and the case that is currently being heard was first investigated by the EPL six years ago.

Leaked documents may be key

As mentioned above, the case is a complex one �C hence the ten-week time frame �C and includes in its body of evidence leaked documents that reportedly show how Man City officials artificially manipulated sponsorship sums to get more funds into the club.

deliberately manipulated

It was a story that re-appeared in the German publication Der Spiegel in 2018 where, in addition to the ��sponsorship�� allegations, claims were made that player contracts had also been deliberately manipulated to skirt UEFA contract regulations.

Some of those who have followed the case closely since the EPL investigation began are fearful that, ultimately, it will boil down to who has the best lawyers doing their bidding. Also critical will be the importance the independent panel places on documents that have been sourced from the whistleblower.

Man City confident of acquittal

Man City and Guardiola have appeared confident through the investigation that justice will be done and that the club will be cleared, but the final decision rests with the three members of the panel. They have been armed with what��s been described as ��limitless powers�� �C meaning that any sanctions handed out can be as mild or severe as they choose. This can range from a fine through to expulsion from the Premier League and everything in between.

At the weekend, City hosts Arsenal in what is already being described as a crunch battle between the top two. And while this may be true, what happens in that room over the next ten weeks will have a far bigger say in the short, medium, and long-term future of Manchester City.

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Former Arsenal star and reformed gambling addict Paul Merson has revealed how EPL managerial legend Harry Redknapp once helped him out of a gambling-related jam.

wad of notes to pay someone off��

On Monday, The Mirror cited Merson��s gambling testimony after the ex-Gunner made his Strictly Come Dancing debut over the weekend. Merson was recalling an event in 2003 when he was a Portsmouth player under Redknapp and had in his possession a ��wad of notes to pay someone off.��

The notes were ��30,000 ($39,600) in cash the ex-England midfielder had brought with him on a road game to the mean south London streets of Bermondsey against Millwall FC. Because the doors to the Portsmouth locker room at The Den wouldn��t lock, it fell to manager Redknapp to look after his player��s valuables.

As cited by The Guardian, the ex-West Ham Manager was expected to look after a valuable watch, but Merson instead handed him a stack of cash he was going to use to repay a gambling debt.

Redknapp is said to have been non-plussed after he was handed the cash, stuffing it down his ��big, baggy tracksuit bottoms.�� Knowing his money was safe, Merson scored and ��got a standing ovation from Millwall fans�� for a performance he termed his best ever, helping Portsmouth to a 5-0 win.

The new face on the Strictly roster is outspoken about his gambling addiction. He has estimated that a 30-year struggle with the addiction, along with alcohol and cocaine abuse, cost him millions, his sanity, and two marriages.

Merson, 56, placed his first bet aged 16.

The post Paul Merson Reveals How Ex-EPL Manager Held ��30,000 Gambling Cash for Him appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News.