AN Accrington Stanley game at the centre of betting allegations saw more than £280,000 placed on it with one bookmaker alone.

Betting chiefs said this was more than 14 times the amount they would expect to see for a League Two fixture and that reduced odds did not stop the wagers.

Yesterday it was revealed that five players – four of whom were playing for Stanley at the time – were accused of betting on Accrington to lose against Bury last May.

Stanley club captain Peter Cavanagh, Jay Harris, David Mannix and Robert Williams were charged with breaching FA rules on betting, along with Bury striker Andrew Mangan, who used to play for Stanley.

The East Lancashire side went on to lose the match 2-0.

The players were accused of betting more than £10,500 in total.

They have until April 23 to answer the charges and face FA suspensions if the allegations are proven.

Betfair said £281,000 in bets were placed on the game in total.

A League Two match between Rochdale and Shrewsbury on the same weekend saw just £20,000 wagered.

Other bookmakers saw similar flurries of cash with William Hill altering the odds on four occ-assions before it suspended betting on the game.

Many of the odds started at 11/5 for a Bury win and money was still coming in when this changed to 10/11, bookmakers said.

Graham Sharpe, of William Hill, said: “Whatever we changed the odds to people still kept wanting to bet.

“I don’t think it will have an impact on football betting.

“The fact it has created so much attention shows it is a rare incident within the English game.

“It is to be seen what the final outcome is in this case.”

Paddy Power said it experienced a surge of betting on the game and initially refused to pay out to those who had won.

Darren Haines, Paddy Power, said: “We refunded anyone who bet on Accrington to win because we didn’t feel they’d been given a fair run.

“I think it is an isolated incident in English league football.”