When the bookies suspend a betting market, you can be sure that there has been a significant move on a particular selection.
And that appears to be the case with Roy Keane, who has apparently been in talks all week with officials at Celtic over becoming the club’s new manager.
Firms like Betfair and Paddy Power have taken down their market after a flurry of bets were received on the Manchester United legend being announced as the new boss at Celtic Park imminently.
Other bookies, including SkyBet, have eased Keane into 4/6, and they are one of the few mainstream firms still taking bets at the time of writing.
On Monday morning, the 49-year-old was priced at 13/2 to be the successor to Neil Lennon, but his odds have been tumbling ever since and he reached a low of 1/3 before Betfair pulled the plug on betting on Thursday evening.
Born into a Catholic family in the Republic of Ireland, Keane revealed he supported Celtic as a boy and finished his playing career with the Bhoys, so the connection to the club is obvious.
And there are also reports online that he has previously turned down the chance to manage the Glasgow outfit – although he would consider the role this time.
He has enjoyed spells in management with Sunderland – where he enjoyed a win ratio of 42% largely in the Premier League – and Ipswich Town, as well as stints as an assistant manager at Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and the Irish national team.
His boss at Ireland, Martin O’Neill, has lauded Keane’s potential in management, and given that he is such a revered figure on the green-and-white side of Glasgow it would not be a surprise if Parkhead officials have heeded his words.
You can still bet on Keane if you want at various firms, and given that others have suspended the ‘Next Celtic Manager’ market you might just be minded to do so while you still can.
Why Do Betting Markets Get Suspended?
If you’re following a game in-play, you’ll notice that the various betting markets are often suspended – that’s usually a sign that something of importance, perhaps a goal or a card, has happened.
But when an outright market is suspended? Well, that has entirely different connotations.
There are a couple of reasons why a market is suspended in this case. Usually, it’s do with a breaking new story or heavy rumours – in this case, the revelation that Keane has held more than one meeting with the big cheeses at Celtic would have triggered the suspension.
Other times, there may be a heavy flow of money wagered on a particular selection – that suggests that those ‘in the know’ are looking to profit while they can. In this case, any suspicious betting patterns lead to an immediate suspension.
The thing with ‘Next Manager’ betting markets is that it can be difficult for a bookmaker to hedge their position with other firms/exchanges, and so often they are reluctant to lay too many backers and thus expose themselves to a considerable liability.