Word got out that the probe kicked off in December 2024 when Spain's Public Prosecutor's Office spotted odd betting trends. People say two of Salas's buddies put down about 30 bets raking in around €10,000 ($10,283), by betting on his yellow cards during games. These bets were said to be placed at different bookies in Morón de la Frontera where Salas grew up.
Salas's play in the previous season caught people's eye towards the end of La Liga. He got seven yellow cards in his last nine games. This happened when Sevilla was safe from relegation so their matches did not matter as much. He often got these cards late in games, with three coming in the 88th and 94th minutes. At first, no one noticed these incidents. Most cards were for fouls, but one came from a fight with another player.
If proven guilty, Salas could face tough penalties. These include jail time from six months to three years, fines between €3,006 ($3,092) and €30,051 ($30,906), and a ban from soccer for up to five years. La Liga plans to join the legal case and stresses its goal to keep the sport clean. The league uses cutting-edge systems to watch betting and teach players about the risks of fixing matches.
Sevilla FC says they will follow the court process and treat Salas as innocent until proven guilty. Still, they speak out against any cheating in sports. Even with the ongoing probe, Salas came back to practice on January 15. The club has not taken any steps to punish him yet.