An Australian postal employee, whose duty it was to plan the printing of commemorative stamps honoring the “Australian of the Year,” appeared in court this week facing allegations of insider betting.

Prosecutors claim that Dale Tristan Young, who was in the unique position of knowing the winner of the prestigious national prize ahead of time, gave this exclusive information to gambler James Matthew Dawkins, an old school buddy.

They claim that between 2017 and 2019, the couple made A$13,302 (US$8,650) in profit from their bets on the winner.

Advanced Understanding

The Australian of the Year Award is exactly what it sounds like: a medal given to the citizen of Australia who, in the previous year, the judges deem to have done the nation the most proud.

Prominent pioneers in the arts, sciences, and medicine have been among the previous honorees, along with exceptional athletes. Paul Hogan, the star of the Crocodile Dundee films, and the late Alan Bond, a businessman notorious for his high-profile and frequently unethical business practices, were also honored.

However, in a nation where it is permissible to wager on award ceremonies, the custom of producing a commemorative stamp featuring the winner of each year presents a challenge. It means that in addition to the select group of judges and organizers knowing the winner ahead of time, a number of postal workers are also aware of it.

US authorities forbid betting on events when the result can be predicted in advance, with the exception of the Oscars in New Jersey. However, in countries like Australia and the UK, such wagers are allowed.

For apparent reasons, sportsbooks are extremely watchful around these markets. Operators enjoy these markets because they create publicity, even though they are still smaller than sports. But its small handle also makes it simpler to identify questionable betting trends.

Untrustworthy Playing Sequence

Operators spotted Dawkins' winning streak and alerted federal crime organizations when he placed 48 winning bets in a span of different sportsbooks in 2017.

In 2017, Dawkins supported Alan Mackay-Sim, a researcher in biomedicine with expertise in adult stem cells. Michelle Simmons, a quantum scientist, was his money in 2018. He chose Richard Harris and Craig Challen in 2019 after they were featured in the news for their part in saving a young soccer team from Thailand's flooded Tham Lang caves.

At the Dandenong Magistrates Court, which is located close to Melbourne, Young and Dawkins entered guilty pleas to charges of abusing public office on Thursday. They are both now very long bets to win the Australian of the Year award the next year and both face a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison or a fine of almost A$16,000.