Former A-League Player Admits to Betting Scandal Involving Deliberate Yellow Cards

A former A-League midfielder has confessed to intentionally earning yellow cards to profit from gambling, during a covertly recorded conversation in a police custody cell. The player, Clayton Lewis, along with teammate Kearyn Baccus and another footballer, have been charged over a scheme to manipulate match outcomes in 2023 and 2024.

Both Lewis and Baccus appeared in Sydney Local Court, pleading guilty to engaging in conduct intended to corrupt the results of a sporting event. Charges related to participation in a criminal group were dropped for the two midfielders, who are scheduled for sentencing in September. They revealed they received $10,000 each from a teammate for deliberately incurring yellow cards during a December 2023 game.

According to court documents, the third player orchestrated about 50 suspicious bets on the match between Macarthur FC and Sydney FC via an international betting platform. These bets, all placed before the game started, involved identical wagers predicting the same outcome.

During the match at Allianz Stadium, the players intentionally committed fouls to receive yellow cards. The first was issued to the team’s initial player for delaying play, followed by Lewis after he pushed an opponent, and later Baccus for tackling from behind. These actions triggered payouts exceeding $200,000, resulting in an estimated loss of $167,387 for the betting operator.

While there’s no evidence that Baccus or Lewis placed the bets themselves, they admitted to being paid after the game—Lewis received his payments in installments, and Baccus fabricated a story claiming the money was for a car purchase. Lewis also confessed during the police interview that he deliberately sought a yellow card to earn extra money.

The trio’s involvement was uncovered after the players were arrested, leading to their suspension by Macarthur FC. The third player will face court proceedings in August.