Wimbledon bosses have deployed ‘undercover’ scouts to catch gambling agents trying to profit by placing bets before scores appear on TV.
Several so-called ‘courtsiders’ have already been ejected from the stands during this year’s Championships. Many are believed to be working for organised crime groups and use modified phones to transmit live scores in real-time for "sure thing" bets.
According to the Daily Mail, the scammers exploit the delay between umpires inputting scores and those scores appearing on live broadcasts. One even boasted of using a device hidden in their shoe to ping out results instantly.
The practice has surged alongside the rise in in-game betting — which now accounts for three-quarters of all tennis wagers — and allows punters to place live bets on sets, games and even individual points.
A source said: “Wimbledon is a Fort Knox of propriety and fairness. We go to great lengths to stop people exploiting our sport in any way, including by taking advantage of any unavoidable technical issue to make money.
“It takes a great deal of time, effort and expertise to monitor courtsiders whose activities have increased rapidly with the rise in in-play gambling.
“Rather than simply betting on the outcome of individual matches or who will win the championships, syndicates now gamble the outcome of individual sets, games or even individual points.”
Wimbledon has already taken steps to shut down potential loopholes. On-site Wi-Fi blocks access to gambling websites, and a no-fly zone prevents drones from hovering above the courts.
Most importantly, a dedicated team of scouts are tasked with identifying courtsiders and gathering intelligence on repeat offenders. One notorious courtsider tried to sneak back in with dyed red hair, while others have attempted to use disguises to avoid detection.
The clampdown has been so effective that some users on a courtsiders’ forum have speculated whether Wimbledon is using facial recognition technology to identify offenders. Forum members were warned not to attempt entry after one scammer was reportedly caught within 15 minutes — before even reaching the stands.
Adrian Bassett, of the International Tennis Integrity Agency, said: “Tournament organisers will have their own teams. Wimbledon will have their own group of people who will be looking out for suspicious looking people.”
A spokesman for the All England Club added: “We are committed to ensuring the highest levels of integrity in our competition and we take active steps to preserve this.
“Our security teams have identified a small number of individuals engaged in courtsiding and they have taken swift action to remove them from the grounds.”
