Bulls ace Jamie Langley has rubbished suggestions of a widespread betting scandal in rugby league.

Authorities have opened an investigation into two games after Doncaster captain Shaun Leaf allegedly put money on his own team to lose.

It is believed the Rugby Football League’s probe will focus on the Dons’ recent defeat to Wakefield and a match against Toulouse from 2009, both in the Challenge Cup.

Leaf is accused of placing a £200 bet on Doncaster to fall to the Wildcats by more than 38 points in a game they eventually lost 50-10.

But Langley denies match-fixing is a common problem.

“I wouldn’t have said it was widespread,” said the Bulls’ vice-captain. “Not at all. A few of the lads like a bet but usually on the football or the races.

“I can’t believe many people would be daft enough to gamble on their own games. You’re asking for trouble.

“After what happened a few years ago with Sean Long and Martin Gleeson and then what happened in Australia recently, you would think people would be smarter.

“If you’re daft enough to do it, you deserve to be caught out. If you do the crime, you have to be ready to do the time.”

Long and Gleeson were involved in the sport’s most high-profile betting scandal after the pair bet on their St Helens side to lose a 2004 game against the Bulls.

Both were hit with £7,500 fines after being found guilty of misconduct, with Long receiving a three-month ban and Gleeson suspended for four months.

The NRL has also been embroiled in drama surrounding a game between the Bulldogs and Cowboys last August and Langley is worried the sport’s reputation will be tarnished. He said: “Every time you see rugby league in the national news, it’s usually for something bad. It’s very rare you get something positive.

“They can’t wait for us to fail so it doesn’t surprise me they are milking it for everything it’s worth. It probably happens in other sports too but you don’t hear anything about it.”

Former Bull Rob Parker, now at Salford, admitted last week he knew of players, since retired, who have previously bet on matches.

But Langley has never suspected any team-mate of wrongdoing.

He said: “I’ve never suspected a team-mate of doing it but wouldn’t stand for it if I found out somebody was.

“You’d have to take them to one side and have a word with them if you sensed anything wrong.

“I doubt his team-mates would have had a clue what was going on but you have to be cautious.”