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When it comes to this year’s Iron Bowl 75 betting, fears of organized crime and other influencing factors will be more prevalent than ever now that both Alabama and Auburn are ranked for the first time since 1994.
The state of Alabama is certainly thrilled by the positive economic impact this game will have, mostly from the hotel and restaurant side of things, not to mention Iron Bowl 75 tickets are going for as much as $1490 a pop.
This game is expected to be one of the most wagered on in College Football this year, and that translates into a lot of illegal gambling activity. Some local bookmakers in Alabama have gone on record as saying that the Iron Bowl is bigger than the Super Bowl when it comes to their overall business.
“College football gambling "is bigger and more common than it's ever been, from high schools to break rooms in industry," Sgt. John Barker of the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Department told the Birmingham News.
Birmingham FBI agent Paul Daymond said his biggest concern is with sports bribery -- gamblers paying athletes to affect the outcome of games, moreso than any type of corner bookmaking operations.
"We would get involved if it involves organized crime," Daymond said. "Otherwise, it's a problem for local officials."
In Alabama, placing a bet is defined as a Class C misdemeanor, the equivalent of a speeding ticket. Taking bets is a Class A misdemeanor, the paper points out.
One local bookie told the Birmingham News that regulars are likely to up their bets this week, “turning $50 plays into $100 to $200 risks, Joe said. The bigger bettors typically risk anywhere from $100 to $1,000 on this game”.
For online gambling websites, early spread action on this game had Auburn getting between 60 percent to 65 percent depending on the book.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
