Millions Lost In Online Gambling Thanks To Bad Call

Published on: November 19, 2008 

The National Football League in the United States is continually trying to break away from being connected to any form of gambling – online or otherwise – yet they have managed to contradict themselves when they reacted to a call on Sunday’s night game.  Gambling analysts are taking a hard look at the NFL and believe that the organization is quite well aware how lucrative gambling on their football games really is.  NFL officials are reviewing a call on the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Diego Chargers that is now causing an adjustment to be made on rules that surround the instant reply.  The bad call cost gamblers online and offline millions of dollar and lost the NFL some serious revenue.

What happened?  The Pittsburgh Steelers, leading the game 11 to 10 with only a few seconds remaining on the clock, intercepted the ball and ran it in for a Steelers touchdown, which should have made the score 16-10.  The ball was still in play as the clock ran out, and after the players had retreated to the locker rooms the officials called them back to try for an extra point that wasn’t going to matter.  Why?  Because according to the reviewed replay, the Chargers forward pass was illegal and the officials ruled the game over.

The NFL admits afterwards that the call was mistaken and that despite the penalty that would’ve been charged to the Chargers, the Steelers touchdown should have counted and not been called dead.  Normally the NFL will not change their rules during the season, but this incident shows how the rules need to be changed.  The new rule will allow an official a second look at the instant replay in order to determine whether or not the play on the field should stand.  Before the Steelers-Chargers game, that rule wasn’t allowed.

So why is the NFL changing things midstream and basically admitting that they are interested in the gambling that goes on?  The betting line online and live in Pittsburgh that night was by four and as much as $50 million dollars was lost by bettors due to the blown call.  Additionally, gamblers in Las Vegas were not happy with the results because the casinos pay on the official final in which the Chargers covered.  To say that Steelers fans were not happy is an understatement and the NFL recognizing this shows that they are more aware of what is happening in the gambling then they let on.

According to Ed Crumley, the sports analyst for Online Casino Advisory, “The speed with which the NFL reacted to a play that had no bearing on the game's outcome shows how important the league considers fair gambling results. To change a rule in mid-season means Commissioner Goodell knows, despite all public denial, that wagering is the driving force behind football's popularity. 
 
"Further, consider that the teams were summoned to kick the extra point after having entered the locker room. College waves the point off, as the college rules are only designed to generate a winner. But every point may matter to totals, teasers, and other bets, even if the betting line result is over. The NFL may want to pursue an image free of gambling influence, but that image is a lie."

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