Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 7y

Cologne boss Peter Stoger warns fans off betting on title triumph

Cologne boss Peter Stoger has advised fans against putting bets on the club to win the Bundesliga title this season despite hopes they could replicate Leicester City's shock Premier League triumph.

Cologne, whose most recent title success came in 1978, secured promotion back to the top flight in 2014 and finished 12th and ninth in their previous two campaigns. With seven games played of the current season, though, they are second in the Bundesliga and remain undefeated despite already playing away at reigning champions Bayern Munich.

One bookmaker in the city said 70 fans had already placed bets and that it has now cut its odds from 999-1 prior to the season to 400-1.

When asked by reporters about the euphoria in the city and the numerous bets on the club finally winning the title, Stoger told reporters on Thursday: "I am not allowed to bet, but if I were allowed to bet and wanted to be on the safe side, I wouldn't place a bet like this."

Stoger said he was "rather surprised" to hear that "relatively few people in Cologne placed this bet" but added: "I fear a few more bets will be made."

Cologne, whose striker Anthony Modeste is the league's top scorer, are currently just two points behind leaders Bayern and Mark Debler, a supporter who co-owns the aforementioned betting shop, said he fears they will upset the odds.

"Should Cologne indeed win the league, we'd have to pay some €2 million," he told German news agency SID. "I'd really prefer them to not win the league."

His brother Marcel added in Bild: "After Leicester City sensationally won the league in England, out of sheer fun we also offered it for Cologne."

However, they added that success for their club "would be our ruin."

Leicester's title -- the first in the club's history -- had been priced at 5,000-1 following their battle with relegation in the previous campaign. 

^ Back to Top ^