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Legal sports betting makes it less likely to have the game thrown. The Athlete salaries far outpace the potential gains of an individual bettor so you need book

Legal sports betting makes it less likely to have the game thrown. The Athlete salaries far outpace the potential gains of an individual bettor so you need bookmaker involvement but the legal books are so large that they don't won't one-sided games or any particular outcome. They are able to balance their books and make money like never before by keeping an even line. It's only when the house is constrained in their ability to balance that fixing matches make sense. Even 10 years ago my local bookmaker use to fly to Panama on big weekends with a suitcase of cash to lay off, now he just uses a few apps on his phone. Something small might get corrupted but I doubt the rate for major events would be any higher.

wolverine876 5y ago
> Legal sports betting makes it less likely to have the game thrown. Wow, that is Orwellian. > The Athlete salaries far outpace the potential gains That's only true for a few top athletes, and ignores others (referees, coaches, etc.), and the fact that careers are short. For example, in American football, you only have to buy a kicker or long snapper, who can easily change the game (as long as it's reasonably close). NFL referees aren't even full-time employees. > you need bookmaker involvement but the legal books are so large that they don't won't one-sided games or any particular outcome After seeing all the brazen fraud and deceit in American (and other) business, costing lives, tanking the global economy, causing climate change, fixing LIBOR, pushing crypto scams, etc. etc., we should believe that bookmakers would never take that risk? They must be an especially risk-averse, honest group! Also, not all gambling is legal.
majani 5y ago
Referees in all the top leagues still get paid average salaries yet they are the most powerful person on the field. They are the point of failure in modern sports
- aidenn0 5y ago
  Maybe other leagues pay less, but mean NFL referee salary is about $200k. I suspect it wouldn't be cheap to pay one of them off, since getting caught risks prison time, damages, and millions in future income lost.
  - asdff 5y ago
    City councilmembers in my city are paid about as much and the price for them is apparently only like 20-50k cash for quid pro quo that could land them prison time, according to the FBI investigations from the ones who got caught at least. That's nothing compared to what could be gained.
  - majani 5y ago
    You have to look at it relatively. Fine the ref is getting paid $200k, but the owners in the box seats are worth billions, the gamblers in the front row seats are worth hundreds of millions, and the players are worth tens of millions. Any of those guys can slip the ref a life-changing amount of money if they really wanted to.

wolverine876 5y ago

> Legal sports betting makes it less likely to have the game thrown. Wow, that is Orwellian. > The Athlete salaries far outpace the potential gains That's only true for a few top athletes, and ignores others (referees, coaches, etc.), and the fact that careers are short. For example, in American football, you only have to buy a kicker or long snapper, who can easily change the game (as long as it's reasonably close). NFL referees aren't even full-time employees. > you need bookmaker involvement but the legal books are so large that they don't won't one-sided games or any particular outcome After seeing all the brazen fraud and deceit in American (and other) business, costing lives, tanking the global economy, causing climate change, fixing LIBOR, pushing crypto scams, etc. etc., we should believe that bookmakers would never take that risk? They must be an especially risk-averse, honest group! Also, not all gambling is legal.

majani 5y ago

Referees in all the top leagues still get paid average salaries yet they are the most powerful person on the field. They are the point of failure in modern sports

aidenn0 5y ago
Maybe other leagues pay less, but mean NFL referee salary is about $200k. I suspect it wouldn't be cheap to pay one of them off, since getting caught risks prison time, damages, and millions in future income lost.
- asdff 5y ago
  City councilmembers in my city are paid about as much and the price for them is apparently only like 20-50k cash for quid pro quo that could land them prison time, according to the FBI investigations from the ones who got caught at least. That's nothing compared to what could be gained.
- majani 5y ago
  You have to look at it relatively. Fine the ref is getting paid $200k, but the owners in the box seats are worth billions, the gamblers in the front row seats are worth hundreds of millions, and the players are worth tens of millions. Any of those guys can slip the ref a life-changing amount of money if they really wanted to.