Dulgarian’s ‘release’ fuels UFC Vegas controversy amid betting fix claims

 

 
     

    Rumors of FBI involvement are starting to swirl online after sportsbooks refunded wagers following accusations of fight fixing in a UFC bout.

    UFC Vegas 110 became the subject of controversy on Saturday (November 1), after Cuban featherweight up and comer Yadier del Valle surprised fans by submitting assumed champion Isaac Dulgarian in the first round. Fights can always go either way, of course, but what has particularly rankled fans, gamblers, and potentially the authorities is that the betting line shifted dramatically an hour before the fight got underway.

    This has led to allegations of fixing the fight on social media from both fans and oddmakers. The change was certainly dramatic, with Dulgarian opening as a -240 favorite before tightening to -160 just before the fight. Adding more fuel to the fire, the prop bet for a first-round finish dropped from +850 to +475, a wager that is estimated to have brought in five figures in late-action bets. This led to multiple sportsbooks, including industry giant DraftKings, reportedly pulling the prop line altogether.

    Allegations of UFC fixing escalate

    In the aftermath of events, there are now reports trickling through that the FBI was aware of the unusual betting patterns.

    “The FBI notified the UFC of the abnormal action and line movement and gave them hours to pull the fight,” wrote Harry Mac on X, from an account that’s broken sports news for ESPN and other verified outlets in the past. “They chose to continue and from my perspective are now complicit in fixing a fight.”

    Later, he updated with another post: “Federal regulators have flagged OVER 100 UFC fights this year for abnormal betting patterns, including two additional fighters on last night’s card. S*** is about to get VERY ugly. Still working to confirm but it sounds like the Feds are moving to audit Herzog’s fights.”

    What’s more, major sportsbooks, Caesars and William Hill, have taken to social media stating that they will be offering refunds for bets placed on the fight.

     

    No formal investigation has been announced, but that task would likely fall to either or both of the Nevada State Athletic Commission or UFC itself. This comes after a greater risk of fixing sports events was warned about last week, especially with the rise of prediction markets.

    ReadWrite has reached out to DraftKings for comment.

    Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0

    The post Rumors of FBI involvement after sportsbooks refund UFC wagers due to accusations of fixing appeared first on ReadWrite.

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    Rachael Davies

    Freelance Journalist

    Rachael Davies has spent six years reporting on tech and entertainment, writing for publications like the Evening Standard, Huffington Post, Dazed, and more. From niche topics like the latest gaming mods to consumer-faced guides on the latest tech, she puts her MA in Convergent Journalism to work, following avenues guided by a variety of interests. As well as writing, she also has experience in editing as the UK Editor of The Mary Sue , as well as speaking on the important of SEO in journalism at the Student Press Association National Conference. You can find her full portfolio over on…

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