Southeast Asia bookies set to cash in

Southeast Asia bookies set to cash in

SINGAPORE (Reuters): Illegal bookies in gambling crazed Southeast Asia are poised to make a killing as the World Cup kicks off, offering odds rivaling the best London bookmakers, pundits said yesterday.

"Millions will be exchanging hands after each game this World Cup," said one regular punter, who asked not to be identified. "It's very very hot."

They said soccer betting in the region is controlled by syndicates from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, who have hundreds of runners taking bets for a 5 percent commission from the winner.

Soccer betting is illegal in the region, but bets are easily made for English, Malaysia and Singapore league matches, or even internationals, if the punter knows the right contacts.

At a trial in Singapore, an illegal bookmaker said he made about S$20 million (US$11.7 million) within five months in 1994, fixing games in Malaysia and Singapore.

A slew of players have been charged for match-fixing in the region over the past three years, but punters said it was highly unlikely the long arm of the syndicates would reach France.

"There was a lot of talk during the English league of match- fixing. But for the World Cup there's nothing," the punter said.

For today's opening game of the World Cup, the syndicates are offering "one and a half ball" odds on for Brazil to beat Scotland -- which means that if you bet on Brazil to win the defending champion has to win by two goals before you win any money.

A Malaysian businessman was cleared in England of match-fixing last August after a second trial, which included former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar. The first jury had failed to reach a verdict.