In the world of organized sports, match fixing—also known by terms such as game fixing, race fixing, throwing, rigging, or hippodroming—is the deliberate act of influencing the outcome of a contest to produce a predetermined result. This practice not only breaks the official rules of the sport but often violates legal statutes as well. Match fixing can occur for a variety of reasons, most commonly involving financial incentives such as bribes from bookmakers or gamblers. In some cases, individuals involved may be coerced or blackmailed into participating. Beyond monetary motives, competitors may also deliberately underperform to secure strategic advantages in the future, such as obtaining a more favorable draft pick or facing an easier opponent in a subsequent round. Additionally, players might intentionally play poorly to manipulate handicap systems, which are designed to level the playing field but can be exploited when exploited dishonestly.
When gambling is the driving force behind match fixing, it generally involves covert communication and financial transactions between several parties—gamblers, players, team officials, and referees. These exchanges are often carefully concealed but can sometimes come to light through investigations, leading to criminal charges or sanctions from sports governing bodies. On the other hand, scenarios where teams lose intentionally to gain future benefits are harder to detect and prove. Such cases often involve subtle tactics, like coaches making deliberate substitutions to weaken the team’s chances of winning. This might include benching key players under the pretense of minor injuries or other excuses, rather than instructing players on the field to deliberately underperform. This kind of manipulation stays mostly internal within teams, making it challenging for outside observers or regulators to confirm.
Match fixing encompasses more specific practices as well, such as point shaving and spot-fixing. These forms focus on manipulating smaller, discrete events within a match—like the number of points scored in a quarter or the timing of a particular play—that can be wagered on separately and usually don’t affect the final outcome of the game. According to Sportradar, a company specializing in monitoring the integrity of sports events for various federations, suspicious betting patterns that might suggest match fixing appear in roughly one percent of the matches they oversee.
In sports where handicap or ranking systems play a significant role—examples include racing, grappling, and golf—intentionally losing or underperforming to gain an advantage is often called “sandbagging.” This tactic is designed to deceive opponents or bookmakers by lowering one’s apparent skill level or performance. A related practice is hustling, which is common in cue sports such as nine-ball pool. Hustlers intentionally hide their true abilities to lure others into high-stakes games, then reveal their skill once significant money is at stake.
Overall, match fixing undermines the fairness and integrity of competitive sports, damaging trust among fans, players, and organizations alike. Efforts to combat it involve monitoring betting markets, investigating suspicious activities, and imposing strict penalties on those caught manipulating the game. Despite these measures, the clandestine nature of match fixing makes it an ongoing challenge for the sports world.