Match fixing

Match fixing, in organized sports, occurs as a match is played to an entirely or partly pre-determined result. This violates the rules of the game and often the law. The most common reason is to get a payoff from gamblers.

The major motivations behind match fixing are gambling and the future team advantage. In Eastern Europe, mafia gangsters are linked to illegal gambling and match fixing. In Russia, people have disappeared or died after acting against bribes in sports.

Many sports have tournaments where the result of one round determines their opponent in the next. By losing a match, a particular team can face an easier opponent in the next round. This makes them much more likely to win.

Related pages

• Organized crime
• Point shaving