Betting suspended on AFL opener

Saturday, 9 February 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

AAP: A number of Australian bookmakers have suspended betting on the opening match of the AFL season between Adelaide and Essendon. The Bombers are currently under investigation by the AFL and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency (ASADA) after earlier this week admitting to concerns over the use of supplements at the club.

That was followed by the release of the Australian Crime Commission report into drugs in sport in Australia on Thursday which described widespread doping and links to organised crime.

The Crows host Essendon at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide on 22 March to kick off the 2013 premiership season and on Friday morning, some online bookmakers had removed the fixture from their websites or noted betting was suspended.

Sportsbet.com.au had removed the Adelaide-Essendon game from its website while Essendon were the only club out of the 18 teams to be taken out of its futures betting markets predicting which sides will make the top four, top eight, win the minor premiership and take the wooden spoon.

Sportingbet had also stripped the Adelaide-Essendon game from its website and Tattsbet had suspended futures betting.