Investigation Launched into Suspicious Ballon d'Or Betting Amidst Voting Scrutiny
French authorities are investigating allegations of leaked results after suspicious bets totaling £149,000 were placed on Harry Kane's victory.
An investigation has been launched into suspicious betting activity surrounding the recent Ballon d'Or ceremony, with French police alerted to allegations that the results may have been compromised. The inquiry stems from suspicious bets placed on cryptocurrency platform Polymarket, which returned approximately £149,000 and accurately predicted the top five finishers.
Organizers France Football are reportedly concerned that the results of the prestigious award, won by Harry Kane, may have been leaked prior to the official announcement. The investigation is focusing on 12 accounts created in October that allegedly placed highly specific bets on the Ballon d'Or market, with seven of these accounts exclusively betting on the award.
Adding to the scrutiny of the ceremony, it has been revealed that Scotland's journalist voter did not include Kylian Mbappe in their top 10 selections for the Ballon d'Or. Mbappe, a highly favored contender, was also omitted from the top 10 by voters from Greece and Ukraine. The Scottish voter ranked Kane first, followed by Lamine Yamal and Rodri, with Erling Haaland, Dayot Upamecano, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marc Cucurella, Ferran Torres, and Lionel Messi completing their list.
Kane edged out Mbappe in a closely contested race for the world's best player, receiving the award at a ceremony in London. While Kane's victory was celebrated, the voting details have brought certain omissions to light. Only Mexico and Ivory Coast left Kane off their top 10 lists, while Belarus, Cameroon, Croatia, and Greece overlooked Yamal. The Greek voter notably omitted both Mbappe and Yamal, instead including players such as William Pacho and Declan Rice in their top 10.
Rodri received 10 first-place votes from various nations, including Croatia, Serbia, and the United States. Lionel Messi was also placed first by six countries. France Football reportedly takes extensive measures to ensure the secrecy of the results leading up to the announcement, aiming to keep players and their representatives uninformed.