KUALA LUMPUR: Of the total RM49.9 million betting collections by illegal syndicates throughout Euro 2012, the highest bet was racked on June 17 in the last round of Group B matches.
That night, RM14.1 million of bets were placed on matches which saw Portugal beat Holland 2--1 and Germany's 2--1 win over Denmark.
It was believed bookies predicted Germany to win the tournament, and Group B, dubbed the "Group of Death" which comprised big guns Germany, Portugal and Holland, were favoured to be champions.
Federal CID chief, Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said throughout the police's Ops Soga from May 1 to July 2, 148 raids were conducted nationwide but only 61 were deemed successful, which saw 100 arrests made.
"Bookies comprising 83 men and 17 women, including two Singaporeans and two Indonesians aged between 20 and 65, were arrested," he said at Bukit Aman yesterday.
He said bookies had were operating even before the tournament, taking bets for English Premier League, Spanish Primera Liga, Italian Serie A, German Bundesliga, Europa League and UEFA Champion League matches.
"Most bookies arrested operated from their homes. We're also not ruling out some VIPs may have been involved in the syndicates," said Mohd Bakri.
"Payment to bookies were also not only made in cash but credit cards and cheques."
He said Johore recorded the highest number of bookie arrests with 17 people.
This was due to links with their Singaporean counterparts.
"We've been exchanging information with our counterparts in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Thailand and Vietnam. All our reports on illegal betting prevention action have been handed to the FIFA branch office in Bangkok," Mohd Bakri said.
During the raids, police also seized RM78,160 cash, 45 computers, 72 laptops, 95 handphones, 36 Internet modems, 584 betting papers, 53 Internet broadband dongles and 36 calculators.
All suspects would be investigated under the Anti--Money Laundering Act 2001.