Overview

• An FA investigation found James Byrne placed 992 football bets from 2015 to 2024 and finished nearly £50,000 ahead.
• The commission said he ran a “sophisticated” maths-based model in full knowledge of the rules breach, with no evidence of insider information or match manipulation.
• He must repay £48,388.66, equivalent to his profits, with a payment plan offered by the FA.
• No playing ban was imposed, and the sanction is reported to be the largest levied at Step 4 of the non-league pyramid.
• Byrne told investigators bookmakers closed his winning accounts, so he opened new ones and sometimes placed losing bets to mask success; he is a semi-pro with Portishead Town under rules banning betting from the Premier League down to Step 4.