Harry Kane’s historic Ballon d’Or victory is being overshadowed by a possible betting scandal. Just a few days after the Bayern star was named the world’s best soccer player in London, suspicious bets on the outcome of the vote have come to light. Particularly explosive: Several betting accounts are said to have predicted not only Kane as the winner but also the exact order of the top five finishers. The winnings amount to the equivalent of around 178,000 euros.
As reported by the British Guardian, citing research by the French media company Upside, a total of twelve accounts on the American prediction platform Polymarket are at the center of the investigation. On this platform, users can bet using cryptocurrencies on the outcomes of various events.
The suspicious accounts are said to have wagered a total of more than $264,000 on the outcome prior to the Ballon d’Or gala. In doing so, they focused on a very specific order: Harry Kane ahead of Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Lionel Messi. This exact result was later announced at the awards ceremony at the London Palladium.
Insider Knowledge at the Ballon d’Or? Suspicious Accounts Discovered
Particularly striking are the similarities among the twelve betting accounts. According to Upside reporter Raphaël Pautard, all of the accounts were created between October 1 and 20.
Seven of them are said to have bet exclusively on the Ballon d’Or. Six accounts placed their first bets within 15 minutes of being created.
Based on the similar activity patterns, the investigators suspect that several accounts may be linked to the same person or a group working together.
The betting strategy also raises questions. One account is said to have initially bet on a Kane victory and later sold that position at a profit. The money was then specifically invested in bets on individual finishing positions.
It remains unclear whether those involved actually had access to confidential information.
France Football has involved the police
The findings have since been forwarded to France Football. The French trade magazine has organized the prestigious award since 1956. According to The Guardian, an investigation has been launched. The French police are also reportedly being informed of the suspicious activities.
A particularly sensitive issue is whether the result of the vote was disclosed to outsiders before the official announcement.
The organizers had emphasized beforehand that only a very small group of people knew the winner’s identity.
Former France Football editor Pascal Ferré had most recently described the secrecy with the following words: “How do we keep the winner’s identity a secret? I think a well-kept secret is one that is shared with as few people as possible.”
For FC Bayern and Harry Kane, the incident is particularly embarrassing, as it is making headlines just a few days after a historic victory.
The 33-year-old narrowly edged out Mbappé in the voting with 1,055 points, while Mbappé received 1,027 points. This marks the first time since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981 that a Bayern player has won the Ballon d’Or.
Further investigations will now determine whether insider information was actually used and who is behind the suspicious accounts.