http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...for-wooden-spoon/story-e6frexnr-1225856813930Bookie suspends betting after Melbourne Storm backed for wooden spoon
- From: AAP
- April 22, 2010 11:35AM
Storm warning ... a bookie has stopped taking wooden spoon bets after punters backed Cameron Smith and premiers Melbourne to run last. Source: Herald Sun
A LEADING bookmaker has suspended betting on the NRL wooden spoon after fielding several wagers on premiers Melbourne Storm to finish last.
Title favourites Melbourne are currently fourth on the NRL ladder after four wins and two losses and have been the subject of a salary cap investigation.
"We took three bets to win $10,000 and another to win $8000 for the Storm to win the wooden spoon all within 10 minutes of each other this morning," said Sportingbet Australia spokesman Bill Richmond.
"You don't take a series of bets like that unless someone knows something and we have suspended betting on the wooden spoon as a result.
"Melbourne is now our worst result for the wooden spoon despite the fact they are premiership favourites."
"We took three bets to win $10,000 and another to win $8000 for the Storm to win the wooden spoon all within 10 minutes of each other this morning," said Sportingbet Australia spokesman Bill Richmond.
you could take 20pts off melbourne and they'd still not get the spoon :lol:
The fine is likely to be at least a large six-figure amount, with rumours it could go as high as $1 million.
- In 1991, the Canberra Raiders were fined $100,000 and ordered to pay $85,000 in unpaid salary from 1990.
- Eight clubs were fined in 2000: Newcastle ($159,000), the New Zealand Warriors ($100,000), Penrith ($81,000), Canterbury ($50,000), Parramatta ($40,000), Melbourne ($24,500), the Sydney Roosters ($13,000) and Cronulla ($7,000).
- Three clubs were fined in 2001: North Queensland ($100,000), Melbourne ($90,000) and Brisbane ($84,000).
- In 2002, the Canterbury Bulldogs were found to have committed serious and systematic breaches totaling $920,000, which was enough for two extra top level players, and was described by NRL Chief Executive David Gallop as "exceptional in both its size and its deliberate and ongoing nature". The club was hit with a record $500,000 fine and were stripped of all 37 competition points accumulated to that date; the club won the wooden spoon as a direct result. An extensive NRL investigation resulted in two senior club officials being charged with 21 counts of fraud, theft and forgery by NSW Police. Both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to nine years imprisonment with a seven year minimum.
- Five other clubs were also fined in 2002: the Sydney Roosters ($149,000), Newcastle ($85,000), Melbourne ($67,000), the Wests Tigers ($58,500) and Brisbane ($57,500).
- Nine clubs were fined in 2003 after a crackdown in light of the Canterbury scandal the year before: Melbourne ($131,000), Penrith ($60,000), Newcastle ($40,000), Brisbane ($20,000), South Sydney ($15,250), the New Zealand Warriors ($15,000), Cronulla ($10,000), and Canterbury ($10,000).
- Seven clubs were fined in 2004: Melbourne ($120,000), Canterbury ($82,500), St George Illawarra ($32,500), Penrith ($25,000), the Sydney Roosters ($25,000), and Canberra ($5,000).
- Four clubs were fined in 2005: St George Illawarra ($20,000), Newcastle ($11,000), Canterbury ($8,500) and Canberra ($1,000).
- In 2006, the New Zealand Warriors revealed that their former management had exceeded the salary cap in 2004-2005. The club were fined $430,000, started the season with a four point deficit, and were ordered to play 2007 under a reduced salary cap of $3.15 million (salary floor of $2.79 million).
- In 2007, the Canberra Raiders were fined $175,000 but did not lose any points.
- Six clubs were fined in 2008: South Sydney ($71,000), Wests Tigers ($47,000), Canberra ($46,000), Canterbury ($25,000 and given a $25,000 good behaviour bond), Melbourne ($14,000) and Brisbane ($10,000).[22]
- Five clubs were fined in 2009: St George Illawarra ($15,000), South Sydney ($12,500), Gold Coast ($5,500), Bulldogs ($5,000) and Wests Tigers ($3,500).
Just so we maintain consistency in the punishments, for the record:-
We can now revert to the above when the scope of the Storm breach has been made public to ensure that the punishment fits the crime.