If you've been paying attention to sports at all over the last few months, then you probably know that tennis has had a bit of a problem with gambling. Basically players in minor events have reportedly been taking dives to put a little money in their pockets, and a lot of money in the Russian mafia's pockets.I kid about the Russian mafia, but in all likelihood, I'm sure they have a hand in it as well. The gambling probe in the game has even reached into the elite ranks. World #4 player Dikolay Davedenko has been accused of throwing matches multiple times, and he's currently being investigated - while playing. That'd be like Pete Rose continuing to play baseball while handing money over to bookies after a game.
But now it's getting even better.
Three men were removed by organizers at the Diamond Games in Belgium after they were found to be gambling via laptops from the stands, a spokeswoman for the event said on Tuesday.
"Three spectators were removed. The two Russians and one German were holding a laptop and logged on to a gambling Web site were gambling on ongoing matches," said spokeswoman Katia Stroobants.
Stroobants - which is the best last name ever - went on to say the men were allegedly "exploiting the delay between the time a point was won and the time it appeared on the official tournament Web site."
Man, I wish I had thought of that. By the way, you can gamble on individual tennis points? If there was ever a sign to go to gambling rehab, that would be it. This also has to be one of the ballsier moves out there. About the only thing worse you can do is hand the tennis player money and tell him to lose the point.
As for tennis, all I have to say is this. When people are actively betting on matches - from the stands, in broad daylight, via laptops - you may have a problem.
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