It seems the misfortunes for UFC 324 have followed Dana White to his next high-profile event under the UFC-Paramount partnership. After a late betting spike led to a last-minute cancellation of the UFC 324 matchup between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez, reports are claiming that a similar situation might unfold in Sydney, too.
Dana White has been clearer than ever that if he hears anything from Integrity Services about any matchup having suspicious betting activities, it would be called off with immediate effect. Ahead of UFC 325, a similar pattern has been noticed in another low-profile preliminary bantamweight bout between Lawrence Lui and Sulang Rangbo.
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Sudden odds swing at UFC 325 draws scrutiny from sportsbooks
As of yet, there has been no evidence discovered, but the current movement in the money line odds has caused concern over a similar event, as seen in UFC 324. Lui opened as a -150 favorite but is now an underdog with +220. Rangbo’s odds opened at +130 and now sit at -260.
Dave Mason, the sportsbook manager of BetOnline.ag, explained how sportsbooks normally react to unusual betting patterns from max-limit bets, which are being closely watched. Mason went on to say that integrity teams are known to be closely watching other sportsbooks. When a line moves at the same time, it creates a pattern, which indicates that it is happening elsewhere.
May 20, 2023, LAS VEGAS, LAS VEGAS, NV, United States: LAS VEGAS, NV – May 20: Dana White speaks with the press following the event at UFC Apex for UFC Vegas 73 – Dern vs Hill – Event on May 20, 2023 in LAS VEGAS, United States. LAS VEGAS United States – ZUMAp175 20230520_zsa_p175_090 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
These patterns are not a definite wall of irregularities, but they are taken seriously as they represent the actions of coordinated or highly informed betting patterns rather than typical late-game action. As the night of the fight draws near, attention will remain on how the promotion handles any irregular activity before January 31.
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Revisiting the James Krause betting case and its lasting impact on MMA
MMA betting-related issues are definitely not a new phenomenon. The entire James Krause betting scandal from 2022 altered the way in which irregular betting patterns were handled in MMA.
During UFC Vegas 64, a fight between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke presented an irregular pattern of betting activity pouring in on Nuerdanbieke mere hours before the fight. The activity originated from the closely monitored accounts. The sudden change in odds alerted Integrity Services, which led to the fight being cancelled with Immediate effect.
Minner, trained by Krause, stepped into the Octagon with a leg injury, which was not previously reported to any authority. The match ended in a matter of seconds. He checked a kick and fell. After officials investigated further, they found that Krause, Minner’s coach, was involved in several betting events and belonged to many betting groups.
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Integrity Services immediately canceled the match as he operated a gym with several UFC fighters. Later, after they began analyzing patterns, they found that Jeff Molina, another UFC fighter, placed strong bets on the same match as he knew about Minner’s leg injury. All fighters trained under Krause.
As the case unfolded, the matter was investigated by gaming authorities and even the government. Sportsbook also began intense real-time monitoring in several betting markets. This certainly led to radical changes. The UFC has a new rule against any wagering activities that must be followed by fighters, coaches, managers, and anyone close to them.
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