A huge number of red cards
Soccer prop bettors were in for a treat as a match in Argentina ended up with ten players being sent off. The Trophy of Champions final game on Sunday between Boca Juniors and Racing was 1-1 after normal time. Both teams were reduced to ten men following a fight between two players over a handball claim in the penalty box.
celebrations for the goal resulted in the flurry of red cards
A header in the final minutes of extra time by Carlos Alcaraz saw Racing take the lead. The subsequent celebrations for the goal resulted in the flurry of red cards. Boca players grabbed the goalscorer, pushed him, and threw a ball at the 19-year-old.
In the resulting melee, referee Facundo Tello issued red cards to six Boca players and two Racing players, including Alcaraz. It is unclear if the Argentinian soccer authorities will take further action against Boca for the lack of discipline of the team’s players.
The referee in charge
Referee Facundo Tello is on the roster for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar and has a reputation for being a good referee. Some people did question whether he was a bit free-flowing in handing out the ten red cards.
Tello has been the man in the middle for 118 games in the Argentine Primera Division. During those fixtures, he issued 612 yellow cards and 45 red cards. In one game in September, he dished out three red cards when Racing played Club Atlético Platense.
Popular prop betting markets
Most leading sportsbooks these days offer prop betting markets on cards in soccer games. Some of these markets include betting on certain players receiving a yellow and/or red card during the fixture. There are often also over/under betting markets for the total number of cards a given team will get during the match.
accused of engaging in match-fixing by intentionally getting a yellow card
These types of betting markets have caused some controversies in the past. Some players have been accused of engaging in match-fixing by intentionally getting a yellow card. The UK National Crime Association (NCA) investigated a suspicious yellow card that Arsenal FC player Granit Xhaka received during a Premier League fixture. The NCA was investigating suspicious betting involving cryptocurrency and the Albanian mafia.