Gambling in Football – Two Famous Footballers Who Gambled

Do you know that professional footballers aren’t allowed to gamble? Football regulatory bodies are stringent when it comes to making an example of players who don’t abide by this rule. Some footballers who tried to circumvent this restriction were banned from playing the game for several months. Others, whose crimes were of less serious nature, ended up paying hefty fines.

Despite all this, there have been some high-profile footballers whose names have been associated with betting by using best football odds today. In this article, we’re going to shed light on two such footballers who didn’t fear the consequences of gambling as they placed both their money and their reputations on the line. 

Joey Barton – Burnley 

One of the most ill-tempered English players of all time, the former Manchester City midfielder was charged by the Scottish Football Association for betting on 44 games. The charge further stated that the player gambled for a whole year between 2015 and 2016. He was handed a one-game ban.

Since the charge was akin to a slap on the wrist, Barton was unable to learn his lesson and ended up repeating the mistake. He was caught once again, but this time the punishment was extreme. The English FA who had caught Barton barred the midfielder from playing football for 18 months. 

To further add insult to the player’s injury, the Football Association quipped that Barton was handed the shortest possible punishment. 

Matt Le Tissier – Southampton 

Due to the stellar career that the former England international had at the St. Mary Stadium, Matt Le Tissier is regarded as one of the best Saints’ players of all time. However, his excellent reputation didn’t stop the former striker to shy away from gambling. Though, unlike Barton, he didn’t get caught.

In his biography which was released in 2009, Le Tissier admitted to placing a spread bet on Southampton’s game with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1995. He wagered his money on the scenario that after receiving the ball in the first minute, he’d kick it out of play. The sum which he’d have received for performing the act was rumored to be in thousands. 

Unfortunately for the player, as he tried to execute his plan, his stray pass was intercepted by one of his teammates. As a result, he ended up losing the bet.