It comes along every now and again but you never have to wait too long to hear of the next big-time footballer who has breached FIFA and FA rules by betting on the game. It should be simple. All the footballers need to do is avoid betting within the sport they are professionally playing and not hand over delicate information to their mates. We are going to have a look at 8 big footballers who have been banned for betting on sports.
8 – Daniel Sturridge
In years gone by Sturridge was one of the best strikers in England, played for the national team, and was an integral part of a good Liverpool side – but those days are now over for him. After playing for Trabzonspor in Turkey, Sturridge was caught betting in 2019 when it was alleged he had given insider info to someone during the 2018 transfer window. This led to a £150,000 fine, a 4-month football-playing ban, and the Turkish club terminating Sturridge’s contract.
7- Cameron Jerome
Jerome himself outed himself as breaking the betting rules when he was playing for Stoke in 2013. 27 at the time, Jerome was severely punished by the FA. There was no insinuation Jerome had spoke on any football Acca selections, thankfully, or match-fixed any games but he did admit to football betting whilst playing.
6- Martin Demichelis
Whilst he never bet on any games that he could have an influence on, Demichelis was found to have bet on 29 games in a 3 week period. Gaining himself a hefty fine, the then 35-year-old was spared a playing ban. You’d think a man of his age and experience, after all, he did win a premier league with a city in the 2013/14 campaign, would know better than to go placing bets.
5- Dan Gosling
Believe it or not, but when Dan Gosling was caught out for betting whilst he was having a spell at Newcastle United, he claimed to have absolutely no idea that he was legally not allowed to bet as a professional footballer. It seems Gosling was actually alright at it as well, coming away with a 5 grand profit he later donated to the Newcastle United Charitable Trust, before paying his £30,000 fine to the FA.
4- Andros Townsend
Townsend was one of the first high profile players who was on the international scene to be caught betting. Unfortunately for Andros, his betting habit had spiralled out of control whilst on loan at Birmingham City, allowing him to lose £46,000 in one night. His gambling addiction got him suspended for 4 months for breaching all betting regulations.
3- Joey Barton
The ever inflammatory Joey Barton is never too far away from a scandal and his betting scandal was huge. He spent more than 10 years placing bets in a Betfair account on both games he was playing in, his teammates were playing in and others. Barton would have a whole case against him which would ultimately result in his suspension from the game for 18 months.
2- Matt Le Tissier
Now the face of Sky Bet, Le Tissier was once at the heart of a betting scandal during his time at Southampton. He was involved in a betting spread that involved him playing and getting a throw-in in the first few minutes of a game. Matt was unable to do this and therefore did not win anything from it but was involved in orchestrating it.
1- Kieran Trippier
After being on the verge of moving to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019, Trippier wrote in a group chat ‘lump on it if you want. The problem was his mate actually went through with betting on it. The FA found out about this, did a full investigation, and eventually banned Trippier from all football events for 10 weeks and fined him £70,000. Kieran did not personally benefit from the position he held but the information he provided was deemed to have been confidential and he leaked it.
