7 hours ago
11
Two major American betting companies have issued refunds to gamblers after suspicious movement on lines and props raised alarms prior to a UFC bout in Las Vegas.
On Saturday evening, Cuban featherweight fighter Yadier del Valle upset Isaac Dulgarian by defeating him in the first round via submission with a rear naked choke.
While the result itself is a surprise, what truly generated concern was the shift in betting lines in the moments leading up to the fight.
Dulgarian opened the fight as a -240 favorite. However, before the bout began, the odds got tighter at -160.
Adding further suspicion, odds on a prop bet for the fight to end in the first round dropped from +850 to +475 - suggesting that tens of thousands of dollars had been placed on that wager.
In response, many sportsbooks - including DraftKings - pulled the prop line entirely.
Some sportsbooks are issuing refunds after suspicious betting patterns on a fight won by Cuban featherweight Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 110 on Saturday evening
del Valle upset Isaac Dulgarian in a first round submission via rear naked choke
Responding to a comment, DraftKings' support account said, 'We are aware of the situation regarding the 'Isaac Dulgarian vs Yadier Del Valle' event and we will be sure to let you know if our team has further updates.'
Additionally, according to SB Nation's MMA Mania, the Caesars Sportsbook and William Hill Sportsbook have begun to issue refunds.
Both books' social media accounts posted the same statement, saying, 'Mobile customers with losing bets on the Dulgarian UFC fight will receive a cash credit within 24 hours (singles), or within 24 hours of the last leg being determined (Parlay/SGP/Super Parlay) should that bet have won without that leg included.'
Daily Mail Sport has contacted the UFC, Caesars, and William Hill for comment.
No evidence about a 'fix' on the fight has been publicly reported on or confirmed by either local authorities or the FBI.
After the fight, commentators did not mention anything about a 'fix' either. However, analyst Michael Chiesa did question and criticize Dulgarian's performance.
'If you're on the main card of a UFC, it's one thing if you kind of get punched into submission, but a lot of Day 1 mistakes,' Chiesa said on the UFC post-fight show.
'You can even hear on the broadcast like, "What is this guy doing?" ... I'm sitting here on the pre-show hyping you up as a guy that can go into the top five and win fights, and it doesn't even look like you can fight someone that's in the bottom of the top 500. I've got to be honest here. That was an F- performance. It was absolute trash.'
