Alfie Burden has been fined £5,000 and handed a six-month suspended ban by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association for breaking betting rules.

The 40-year-old, who turned professional in 1994, was found to have placed around 50 bets via an online firm between September 30, 2006 and February 4, 2010, while also placing five bets involving his own matches – all backing him to win – as part of an accumulator between September 30, 2006 and November 22, 2007.

The WPBSA also found Burden had placed 36 bets on snooker matches with another online betting operator between July 5, 2013 and November 29, 2016, which did not involve himself although included tournaments he was playing in.

Burden “fully admitted” to the breach of the betting rules, which were tightened from August 2009, “at an early stage”, according to the WPBSA, who added “there is no suggestion whatsoever” the player was “doing anything to influence match outcomes or engaged in any corrupt activity”.

It was revealed Burden’s betting on snooker had been “largely unsuccessful”, with the WPBSA disclosing he had gambled a total of £25,003 and had returned losses of £2,995.

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