By Jake Niall
Bets on Brownlow Medal votes were allegedly laid on more than 10 games of the 16 AFL games in which umpire Michael Pell officiated during 2022.
Sources familiar with key details of the allegations against Pell and three other associates – who have been interviewed by police but have yet not been charged – have told The Age that the alleged bets came in more than 10 of the home-and-away games in which Pell umpired and had a hand in awarding the Brownlow votes.
Field umpire Michael Pell was one of four men arrested in a police investigation into suspicious Brownlow betting.Credit:The Age
And the AFL was first alerted to the betting irregularities by leading betting agency PointsBet, who are heavily promoted via legendary former American basketballer Shaquille O’Neal. The AFL was first informed that there might be an issue with the betting in Pell’s games a matter of a few days after the Brownlow Medal count, which took place on September 18.
The alleged bets were not only laid on more than 10 games with total amounts that were up to thousands of dollars, but the bets were spread across different betting agencies.
The AFL, once notified of the betting irregularities, was able to bring in Sports Integrity Australia – which polices doping and other integrity issues – to assist and then the Victoria Police, who arrested Pell and three others on Monday in connection with their investigation into the betting on games.
Pell, 32, if found guilty of any criminal charges, would be barred from umpiring, likely for life, at any level of the game. The AFL integrity unit have left the matter with the police over the past few days and have not interviewed Pell.
The bets were placed on players to win three votes in games in which Pell umpired.
One source familiar with the situation estimated that the betting companies would be alerted by betting on a particular umpire’s games if it was done just two or three times, let alone more than 10 times, as Pell’s associates allegedly have done.
Betting agencies have algorithms and technology-based warning systems, according to betting agency insiders, that raises an alarm when there are unusual bets, or even when bets are laid in which the wagerer stands to win a large amount.
The betting agencies only take bets in a two-day window before the medal count on who is awarded the “three” votes in each game.
The AFL this week said there was no suggestion of match or spot-fixing and that the alleged breach did not influence the result of the Brownlow count, which was won by Carlton captain Patrick Cripps in a thrilling finish.
However, the fallout could be severe in that it allegedly involves a match official divulging information, whereas previous betting scandals have involved players or club officials, such as when then Collingwood player Jaidyn Stephenson was suspended for 10 matches and fined $20,000 for placing bets on a Magpies game he was playing in.
Victoria Police alleged in a statement on Monday that a person with knowledge of the voting tally distributed the information to a group of people known to them.
Warrants were carried out at residential properties in Glenroy, Kilsyth, Oak Park, Drouin, Craigieburn and Doreen. Pell and another 32-year-old man from Glenroy, a 29-year-old man from Oak Park and a 27-year-old man from Drouin were arrested.
Three of the four men allegedly involved are expected to be charged on summons with using information to corrupt a betting event, meaning they will face criminal charges at a later date and be released by investigators, as the probe into the allegations continues.
Several mobile phones and electronic items were seized.
“All four men are currently in custody assisting police with their enquiries and the investigation is ongoing. The criminal offences police are investigating are engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of event or event contingency, and using corrupt conduct information for betting purposes. These offences carry up to 10 years imprisonment,” police said in a statement.
The news comes as Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello says the AFL has become “Dracula in charge of the blood bank” in terms of sports betting.
Costello said on Tuesday the AFL must end its reliance on betting agencies.
“I remember the days when it was the Fosters AFL, and we were told if we don’t have alcohol sponsorship, there won’t be AFL, the sky will fall in,” Costello told The Age from Washington.
“We got rid of it, the sky did not fall in. Benson and Hedges and cricket, (we were told) the sky will fall in if we don’t have tobacco sponsorship. We have been told by the AFL the sky will fall in, that we can only deliver this fantastic game with sports betting. It’s complete nonsense, it’s a lie.
“It’s damaging the integrity of the sport. They can no longer protect the integrity of the sport, that’s what this incident shows. They cannot protect the sport despite their protestations because they are Dracula in charge of the blood bank.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday he had full faith in league chief Gillon McLachlan and the league’s integrity protocols.
With Jon Pierik
