Football betting is an illegal act in most Asian countries, and despite that it is sentenced with harsh communist punishments such as life sentencing and death, the online industry seams to have soared over the past few years.
Only this week a Vietnamese court jailed a football betting ring of about 15-20 members, who have been operating since December 2005 and have made profits reaching the $10 million mark. According to anonymous court officials, this is the largest recorded amount ever taken to trial in Vietnam. The ring leader, Ngo Tien Dung, received a 10 year jail sentence over his illegal actions. Luckily, this was the harshest of all the punishments handed out.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian government has been no less forgiving to breaches of illegal football betting. Police in Johor Baru, Malaysia, today arrested an illegal football betting syndicate that had gambled approximately RM15 million a month online, over EUFA and Champions League matches.
Aged in his 40's, the man was caught in a bungalow using computers, modems and printers, and has been under police surveillance for 7 days. SAC II Amer explained that on days when there are matches, football betting can turn in millions of "ringgit", which is very successful for the CID. Other people involved in the case are still on the run.
SAC II Amer further elaborated that since January 1st of 2008, Malaysia has already achieved 410 arrests over illegal football betting, and confiscated more than 2,700 machines used for football betting syndicates.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
NBA Power Poll
The Power Poll has a headache. Not from the sound of all those bouncing basketballs, not from too much Doug Collins, not even from trying to predict the order of teams in the West on April 16. The Poll's noggin is pounding from ranking teams No. 1 - No. 4.
Combined, the candidates are 56-7 since February. Only one of the four has lost in the past week. Look at the candidates' qualifications and you'll understand why the Poll is struggling:
Lakers: 15-2 since February, including nine of their past 10.
Spurs: Have won 14 of their past 15, including an 11-game winning streak.
Rockets: Have won 17 in a row, including five since they lost Yao Ming for the season.
Celtics: Have won six in a row, including a rubber-match game against the Pistons on Wednesday night. They're a measly 11-4 since the start of February, but their 47-12 record is still the best in the league by four games.
So the Poll did what any pollster does when the going gets tough: The Poll flipped a coin. If you have a better order, let the Poll hear about it. But Pistons fans, don't even bother. Not this week, anyway.
Onto the rankings:
1. Rockets (6). Since Yao Ming went out last Tuesday, the Poll has been waiting for Tracy McGrady to join him on the infirm list and the Rockets to fall apart. The wait continues. In the meantime, a 17-game winning streak that includes four wins against West playoff contenders no longer can be discounted.
2. Lakers (1). Their offense gets the props, but their defense has been among the league's best: The Lakers rank fourth in field-goal percentage allowed.
3. Spurs (3). Talk about defense: The Spurs have held opponents to 87 points and 41 percent shooting during 11-game winning streak.
4. Celtics (5). First team to clinch a playoff spot. Look for them to also be the first to clinch home-court all the way through the playoffs.
5. Jazz (4). Deron Williams finished a four-game week with 50 assists and is averaging 10.1 for the season. If Chris Paul is being talked about as an MVP candidate, shouldn't Williams be, too?
6. Pistons (2). If the Pistons are going to beat the Celtics in late May, Chauncey Billups will have to outplay Rajon Rondo. On Wednesday night, he didn't. Billups' experience was no match for Rondo's quickness.
7. Warriors (9). The only pure running team still standing, and they're rolling. They've topped 100 points in 24 consecutive games.
8. Hornets (7). The Birdman is back. Good for him, but don't expect him to make that much difference in the West.
9. Mavericks (8). Don't look for the Mavericks to click until Josh Howard (back) resumes playing the way he was before Christmas.
10. Nuggets (11). Time to make their move, if they're going to make one. Denver plays the Spurs twice and the Jazz in next week.
11. Suns (10). If their 3-5 record since Shaq's arrival isn't worthy of concern, their season-long 6-14 record against West playoff contenders certainly should be.
12. Magic (12). Matched their victory total of last season (40) with blowout at Wizards, and with 14 of their final 19 against sub-.500 teams, they should win 50 for the first time since 1995-96.
13. Cavaliers (13). LeBron got some help at the deadline, but he showed the Garden that he still is the show.
14. Sixers (15). Their seven-game home winning streak will be tested next week when the Celtics and Spurs visit.
15. Blazers (15). Coming close against the big boys in the West won't get them in the playoffs but will help them gain big-game experience for next year.
16. Raptors (14). Trouble ahead? T.J. Ford is trying to say the right things, but he apparently is getting tired of coming off the bench.
17. Kings (17). Ron Artest pops off again. Reggie Theus plays it down again. Kings have up-and-down week again.
18. Wizards (20). Gilbert Arenas has returned to practice, but Caron Butler (hip) remains weeks away.
19. Nets (19). If they still are in the top eight in the East after they return from Texas next week, they will be tough to move out.
20. Bobcats (27). Jason Richardson (42 points) showed the Warriors what they're missing. Still, Poll thinks Warriors will be just fine with Monta Ellis.
21. Bulls (21). Despite all their struggles, they're only one game out of the playoffs.
22. Hawks (18). Where's the D? The Hawks allowed an average of 125.5 points in past two games.
23. Pacers (23). Don't blame Mike Dunleavy for their woes. He's averaging career-bests in scoring, shooting and 3-point shooting.
24. Clippers (24). Al Thornton is making his push for the all-rookie team. Hey, there's just not much to say about these guys.
25. Bucks (22). Charlie Villanueva is giving them more as a starter than Yi Jianlian did.
26. Knicks (25). After all this, Stephon Marbury says he wants to return to Knicks next season. For his sake, let's hope not.
27. Sonics (28). This didn't take long: Veteran Donyell Marshall has run-in with P.J. Carlesimo, who is committed to playing the youngsters.
28. Heat (29). Pat Riley offered to pay back ticket-holders for his team's embarrassing effort vs. Raptors. They could take him up on such an offer for far more than one game.
29. Grizzlies (30). Let's pick on Kwame Brown (it's so easy). He has scored a total of 17 points since joining the Grizzlies, or about the same number his successor in L.A., Pau Gasol, scored in one half at Sacramento.
30. Timberwolves (26). Antoine Walker, stuck on the bench, wants a chance to play, but don't feel too bad for the Wolves not buying him out. He's still due $9 million-plus next season.
Combined, the candidates are 56-7 since February. Only one of the four has lost in the past week. Look at the candidates' qualifications and you'll understand why the Poll is struggling:
Lakers: 15-2 since February, including nine of their past 10.
Spurs: Have won 14 of their past 15, including an 11-game winning streak.
Rockets: Have won 17 in a row, including five since they lost Yao Ming for the season.
Celtics: Have won six in a row, including a rubber-match game against the Pistons on Wednesday night. They're a measly 11-4 since the start of February, but their 47-12 record is still the best in the league by four games.
So the Poll did what any pollster does when the going gets tough: The Poll flipped a coin. If you have a better order, let the Poll hear about it. But Pistons fans, don't even bother. Not this week, anyway.
Onto the rankings:
1. Rockets (6). Since Yao Ming went out last Tuesday, the Poll has been waiting for Tracy McGrady to join him on the infirm list and the Rockets to fall apart. The wait continues. In the meantime, a 17-game winning streak that includes four wins against West playoff contenders no longer can be discounted.
2. Lakers (1). Their offense gets the props, but their defense has been among the league's best: The Lakers rank fourth in field-goal percentage allowed.
3. Spurs (3). Talk about defense: The Spurs have held opponents to 87 points and 41 percent shooting during 11-game winning streak.
4. Celtics (5). First team to clinch a playoff spot. Look for them to also be the first to clinch home-court all the way through the playoffs.
5. Jazz (4). Deron Williams finished a four-game week with 50 assists and is averaging 10.1 for the season. If Chris Paul is being talked about as an MVP candidate, shouldn't Williams be, too?
6. Pistons (2). If the Pistons are going to beat the Celtics in late May, Chauncey Billups will have to outplay Rajon Rondo. On Wednesday night, he didn't. Billups' experience was no match for Rondo's quickness.
7. Warriors (9). The only pure running team still standing, and they're rolling. They've topped 100 points in 24 consecutive games.
8. Hornets (7). The Birdman is back. Good for him, but don't expect him to make that much difference in the West.
9. Mavericks (8). Don't look for the Mavericks to click until Josh Howard (back) resumes playing the way he was before Christmas.
10. Nuggets (11). Time to make their move, if they're going to make one. Denver plays the Spurs twice and the Jazz in next week.
11. Suns (10). If their 3-5 record since Shaq's arrival isn't worthy of concern, their season-long 6-14 record against West playoff contenders certainly should be.
12. Magic (12). Matched their victory total of last season (40) with blowout at Wizards, and with 14 of their final 19 against sub-.500 teams, they should win 50 for the first time since 1995-96.
13. Cavaliers (13). LeBron got some help at the deadline, but he showed the Garden that he still is the show.
14. Sixers (15). Their seven-game home winning streak will be tested next week when the Celtics and Spurs visit.
15. Blazers (15). Coming close against the big boys in the West won't get them in the playoffs but will help them gain big-game experience for next year.
16. Raptors (14). Trouble ahead? T.J. Ford is trying to say the right things, but he apparently is getting tired of coming off the bench.
17. Kings (17). Ron Artest pops off again. Reggie Theus plays it down again. Kings have up-and-down week again.
18. Wizards (20). Gilbert Arenas has returned to practice, but Caron Butler (hip) remains weeks away.
19. Nets (19). If they still are in the top eight in the East after they return from Texas next week, they will be tough to move out.
20. Bobcats (27). Jason Richardson (42 points) showed the Warriors what they're missing. Still, Poll thinks Warriors will be just fine with Monta Ellis.
21. Bulls (21). Despite all their struggles, they're only one game out of the playoffs.
22. Hawks (18). Where's the D? The Hawks allowed an average of 125.5 points in past two games.
23. Pacers (23). Don't blame Mike Dunleavy for their woes. He's averaging career-bests in scoring, shooting and 3-point shooting.
24. Clippers (24). Al Thornton is making his push for the all-rookie team. Hey, there's just not much to say about these guys.
25. Bucks (22). Charlie Villanueva is giving them more as a starter than Yi Jianlian did.
26. Knicks (25). After all this, Stephon Marbury says he wants to return to Knicks next season. For his sake, let's hope not.
27. Sonics (28). This didn't take long: Veteran Donyell Marshall has run-in with P.J. Carlesimo, who is committed to playing the youngsters.
28. Heat (29). Pat Riley offered to pay back ticket-holders for his team's embarrassing effort vs. Raptors. They could take him up on such an offer for far more than one game.
29. Grizzlies (30). Let's pick on Kwame Brown (it's so easy). He has scored a total of 17 points since joining the Grizzlies, or about the same number his successor in L.A., Pau Gasol, scored in one half at Sacramento.
30. Timberwolves (26). Antoine Walker, stuck on the bench, wants a chance to play, but don't feel too bad for the Wolves not buying him out. He's still due $9 million-plus next season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)