Snooker chiefs launch betting investigation

World Snooker insist they will do everything possible to protect the “integrity” of the sport after revealing they are to launch a formal investigation into irregular betting surrounding the Maplin UK Championship.

The investigation will centre on Jamie Burnett’s defeat to Stephen Maguire earlier this week, when bookmakers suspended activity on the first-round match after a flurry of wagers were placed on a 9-

3 scoreline in Maguire’s favour - the margin by which the Scot did eventually win.

A statement from WPBSA last night read: “At approximately 4.50pm on Friday 12 December, the WPBSA received a telephone call from a bookmaker, reporting an unusual pattern of bets on Stephen Maguire to beat Jamie Burnett by a frame score of 9-3 in a match due to take place on Sunday, 14 December.

“The WPBSA immediately notified its other bookmaker contacts, so that the bookmakers could alert the industry and obtain feedback in relation to bets placed on the match.

“It also arranged for World Snooker officials to attend and observe the match in question, and secured tapes of the match afterwards for further study.”

It added: “It (the WPBSA) has already instructed specialist external legal counsel to assist it in pursuing the investigation robustly and efficiently, so as to protect the integrity of the sport while at the same time respecting its obligation to treat those being investigated fairly.”