Match-fixing is where the competitors in a sporting event or fixture manipulate their performances to produce a specific result. I.e., a boxer might fight avidly for a few rounds but then dive into a particular round to fulfill the betting predictions of their peers. This practice invalidates sporting competition, making the whole endeavor fruitless. …those with insider knowledge will be showered with financial gain, albeit illegitimately. How is this going to be stopped?
College Basketball Raises Contemporary Concerns
In 2025, there was concern about the American college basketball system, with at least three teams identified as exhibiting match-fixing results. This led to a federal investigation from the US government. As of early March, the extent of the activity was unknown, but there are concerns that it has been creeping into the professional game, too.
In response to the scandal, many sportsbook operators have stopped taking bets on college basketball or capped the amount bettors are allowed to wager on these markets. This prevents unnecessary losses to match-fixing activity from nefarious organized crime rings, according to Las Vegas Odds – sportsbooks are never going to completely shut down a lucrative revenue stream.
Max Alves was Thrown out of Major League Soccer
While Major League Soccer had little part in the Brazilian football match-fixing scandal in 2023, Max Alves, who had transferred to the Colorado Rapids, was under fire and out of a job.
Long story, but here’s the abridged version: multiple matches in the Brazilian second tier of football came to state and national law enforcement’s attention as suspicious activity occurred, with numerous betting outcomes raising eyebrows. However, when the allegations came to light, Max Alves played for the Colorado Rapids in MLS.
His involvement in whatever capacity was enough for Major League Soccer and US Soccer to suspend him from all activity. The American League was complicit with the Brazilian authorities and agreed to help in any way possible. Alves was allowed to leave the Rapids and rejoin Cuiabá Esporte Clube while the investigation continued. Many sportsbooks have taken legal action to recoup losses from this illicit activity.
US Fencing Team
A few weeks before the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the American fencing team came under fire as match-fixing allegations were thrust towards multiple US fencers. While the industry and related associations were initially concerned, after the investigation had concluded all parties, sportsbooks noted insufficient evidence to believe that fencers had manipulated the results.
The Convicted NBA Ref, Tim Donaghy
Tim Donaghy might not be a better personification of the 2007 NBA betting scandal. He worked as a ref between 1994 and 2007 at the highest level of basketball and was seen as a pillar of the sport. Unfortunately, he was tainted by taking payments to manipulate scorelines for a large part of his career.
One response at the time was to stop any basketball official from participating in any form of gambling. This was seen as a heavy-handed approach as casual line judges could enjoy a few plays on a slot machine with no ill effect on NBA games.
However, the most pertinent post-scandal action was to develop new methods of detecting collusion and illicit activity ahead of time so that future betting scandals do not happen.
Tim Donaghy largely cooperated with the scandal investigation, which reduced his sentence to 15 months (less than 50% of the original). Since his release, he has continued to work in basketball, having worked on a film called ‘Inside Game,’ which shows the narrative of the betting scandal from his point of view.
What Happens When A Sportsbook Detects Manipulation?
There’s no uniform response when a sportsbook or gambling platform finds illicit activity on a sports market. Most will retain the selection and hold any winnings until a verdict is reached on whether the result was fixed. However, some sportsbooks will void the selection at any suspicion of match-fixing. All good sites will list their policy and procedures on what happens in such circumstances, usually in the small print, but it might be worth reading up on this to understand better if your bet becomes embroiled in a scandal.
The Eight Chicago Black Sox
Okay, this example isn’t contemporary…but it still stands as a significant milestone in American sports betting history. Back in 1919, eight members of the Chicago White Sox decided to throw out terrible performances in the World Series championship match against the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a large payment from a gambling syndicate—who would have benefitted from the fixed result.
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