Nothing excuses the behaviour of the Conservative MPs, party officials and police protection officers who took a flutter on the date of the general election, but honestly, what did the bookmakers expect? If you are going to offer odds on events which come down to the decision of one individual or organisation you can hardly be surprised when you receive a flurry of bets which might be traced back to inside information.
The past fortnight has been one big advert for political betting
The political betting scandal has similarities to the spot betting scandal of 2010 involving the Pakistan test cricket team, three members of which were later convicted of defrauding bookmakers after being caught in a sting by the News of the World. That was three cricketers who ruined their careers in return for what would have been pretty modest rewards (in a separate cricket betting scandal, the late South African captain Hansie Cronje inexplicably threw a match in return for a leather jacket).
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