Leeds United manager – this is getting silly now, it’s odds-on manipulation of fans

 

Leeds United linked with any conceivable manager around Europe, what are the odds? Well, Leeds fans probably already know them, having been hammered repeatedly with new names and odds to match.

More than has happened with other managerial chases, odds and bookmakers are ruling the roost in reporting on Leeds United’s manager search, and fans are being manipulated to suit.

The betting companies aren’t pushing this, and if they are it’s not directly, the publications are. It’s been worked out that publishing articles about Leeds United’s search for a manager, and throwing odds in for new managers, works. It gets hits, and Leeds United’s UK driven hits are among the best out there.

It’s a double whammy, with betting companies benefitting, and of course being happy to provide a steady stream of new names. Pretty much anything, and in many cases pretty much nothing, can lead to odds being made available on a new name.

Over the past couple of weeks, a new name appearing in the odds list has led to articles along the lines of ‘New man in running for Leeds United job’. That, inevitably, leads fans to think there’s a reason for the new name, and some of them have a bet.

Some fans having a bet sees the odds shorten, which leads to articles along the lines of ‘Odds shorten for manager to get Leeds United job, could be something happening’.

Of course, that leads to more people thinking there’s something behind it, and more bets are placed, and before too long the articles are ‘New favourite for Leeds United, odds tumble for manager to get job’, ‘Leeds United fans react on Twitter to new manager favourite as odds shorten’.

And then, repeat. A new name, the process starts again, and it all ends with Leeds United not having a new manager. This has been going on for at least a couple of weeks now, and is a new step forward (and back) in reporting on managerial vacancies. Sure, similar has happened before, but not quite to this extent.

There’s been such a procession of favourites that bookmakers will be pleased whatever the outcome. In fact, the best thing for them is for the Leeds United job to remain vacant for even longer, so the steady stream of favourites, and money placed on them, continues.

Odds traditionally react to the story, but in this case, the odds have been made the story, and the whole thing manipulated to harvest hits, and, more worryingly, potentially commission from links to online bookmakers.