Last Updated on 31 March 2022
A Twitter tipster who was claiming to have insider info on winners is now being investigated by Queensland Police. The self-proclaimed bookie offered inflated odds on Coolangatta to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic but deactivated the account when the filly trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace won the race and the tipster had to pay the bettors.
Took Bets at Inflated Odds And Disappeared
Mitchel Fenton, who is behind the “Horse Racing Global” Twitter account, is not a licensed bookie. However, he offered odds for the odds-on favourite, Coolangatta, to win the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Moreover, his odds for the filly to win the $2 million race were much higher than those offered by betting operators in Australia.
Even though Coolangatta was $1.95 with Australian bookmakers on the day of the race, Fenton offered between $3.50 and $6 for the eventual winner.
Coolangatta edged Russian Conquest after a close battle up the straight, but as soon as the filly triumphed, Fenton deactivated his Horse Racing Global account.
Apologized and Disappeared Again
The unlicensed bookie was nowhere to be seen for ten days after the Magic Millions but reappeared on January 25. In a Twitter post, he said that he deeply regretted his actions involving Coolangatta, calling his behaviour immoral and unethical, regardless of motives. Fenton apologized and promised to pay everyone that lost in full as soon as possible.
However, soon after the fake tipster resurfaced, he disappeared again. That alerted Queensland Racing Integrity Commission chief Shane Gillard who referred the betting scam to the Queensland Police Service Racing Crime Squad.
Claimed to Be Privy to Underground Betting Stings
There is no information as to how many punters Fenton scammed, but his Twitter account has 13,000 followers. The Horse Racing Global account has also posted a post labelled as “Toowoomba Mafia Race Fixing Gang.”That post has also got the attention of Queensland Police.
Fenton offered his followers a “once off” fee of $500 to join, what he called, an “elitist group.” He claimed that when a race was ‘designed’ and a winner was picked, members of the group will be notified so that they can bet on it.
One Bettor Lost More Than $1000
Fenton went on to say that other than an act of God, his picks came with no risk, so punters could stake as much as they could get together. He said he was aware that his claims sounded too good to be true, but that he just wanted to give the group members an insight into what was happening in the underground and help them profit from things people like him heard.
Nine News said that reports of punters losing money because of Fenton have already started arriving and that one bettor said he lost more than $1000 on the alleged scam involving Coolangatta at the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Looking for a new betting site? Check out our reviews of the Best betting sites in Australia.
Take the Quiz to find out which betting site is the best for you.
