Tabcorp’s SunBets embroiled in FA Cup pie-eating scandal

WAYNE Shaw has parted ways with Sutton United in the wake of his pie-eating antics during the club’s recent FA Cup tie against Arsenal.

The reserve goalkeeper was spotted scoffing a meat pie while warming the bench in his side’s 2-0 defeat, much to the amusement of the terrace-dwellers at Gander Green Lane.

But authorities were much less impressed after Shaw admitted he was aware an online wagering firm was taking bets on just such an occurrence.

SunBets – a joint venture between Tabcorp and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp launched in 2016 – posted +800 odds on the famously heavyset 45-year-old goalie downing a pie during the fifth-round clash.

“A few of the lads said to me earlier on: ‘What is going on with the 8-1 about eating a pie?’ I said: ‘I don’t know, I’ve eaten nothing all day, so I might give it a go later on,’” Shaw told reporters after the match.

“Sun Bets had us at 8-1 to eat a pie. I thought I would give them a bit of banter and let’s do it. All the subs were on and we were 2-0 down.

“I went and got it at half time from the kitchen, I had it all prepared and ready to go.

“It was meat and potato.”

What sent up the red flags was Shaw’s response when asked if he knew whether anyone had taken up SunBets’ proposition.

“I think there were a few people,” he said.

“Obviously we are not allowed to bet. I think a few of the mates and a few of the fans.

“It was just a bit of banter for them.

“It is something to make the occasion as well and you can look back and say it was part of it and we got our ticket money back.”

Officials from the FA had already confirmed that they were investigating the matter to determine whether or not the incident breached its policy on gambling.

If the organisation interprets its own legislation to the tee, Shaw could be facing a significant penalty.

The FA’s rules state: “A participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on (i) the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in, a football match or competition.”

The plot thickens when one takes into consideration that The Sun – the tabloid newspaper behind Tabcorp’s UK betting brand – was Sutton’s official sponsor for the match.

As such, the Gambling Commission has launched an investigation into SunBets and its operations to ensure the novelty market in question was managed in a legitimate, transparent and uncorrupt manner.

“Integrity in sport is not a joke and we have opened an investigation to establish exactly what happened,” said Richard Watson, director of enforcement and intelligence at the Commission.

“As part of that we’ll be looking into any irregularity in the betting market and establishing whether the operator has met its licence requirement to conduct its business with integrity.”

Paul Doswell, the Sutton manager, said on Tuesday that it was a bitter end to what was a fairytale run for the non-league club.

“It’s been very disappointing,” he said.

“I woke up this morning to this storm of criticism and it’s something that we have dealt with quickly as a club.

“Wayne himself has offered his resignation to the chairman and it’s been accepted. There were tears down the phone this afternoon.

“It’s a very sad end to what was a very good story.”

Currently playing in the fifth tier of English football, the Yellows downed several Football League teams – including Leeds United – to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup for the first time in their 118-year history.