Wonder why Nevada has been so reluctant to offer betting on events that are voted on? Here’s a prime example. Offshore sportsbooks have long offered odds on the Academy Awards; a little leg work, low limits and voila, a market is created. With newly regulated sportsbooks in the United States trying to mimic the offshore model, many decided to post odds on this year’s event as well. Unfortunately, it came with a bit of controversy. The favorite for the Best Director category was originally priced as a foregone conclusion with Roma’s Alfonso Cuaron north of -1000. But leading up to last night, money started to pour in on 40-1 underdog Yorgos Lanthimos, director of “The Favourite.” So much money in fact that the line dropped to 5-1 and some books eventually took the category off the board. One sportsbook got hit with a bunch of new accounts that immediately tried to bet on Lanthimos; a red flag if there ever was one.

Just got hit by a bunch of brand new accounts, depositing and max betting on Yorgos Lanthimos (20/1) for Best Director. As such, Best Director odds are now closed @betmybookie

— MyBookie AG (@AnonymousGamblr) February 24, 2019

Sportsbook.ag, who has a notoriously horrible reputation, went so far as to cancel a players bet due to what they called an “incorrect line.”

Rumors are circulating that information was leaked to some college students whose parents had ties to the movie industry and/or Academy.