Collide Magazine

Sports Gambling Famous Scandals

Sport gaming doesn't escape the eye of organized crime. Influenced by underworld syndicates sports gaming was rocked by several scandals. Sports history was pierced by incidents involving athletes fixed game outcome with the connivance of gamblers. Here are some of those famous sports scandal.

In 1919, some players of the Chicago White Sox are bribe by gamblers to lose the World Series.

In 1951, players from 4 New York schools were indicted for point shaving.

In 1978, mobsters identified with the Lucchese family arrange a scheme with key basketball players of Boston College to shave points. In 1989, Pete Rose an ex-football player was ban from Major League baseball for betting for his team while acting as the team's manager. In his autobiography, My Prison Without Bars published in 2004, Rose confirms the genuineness of the allegations.

In October 2000, the Italian Football Federation meted sanctions on 8 players for match-fixing violations. Three players from Serie A and 5 players from Atalanta were said to be involved. The charge was based to an Italian Cup first round. The score ended in a one goal tie which is the betting odd

In 2004, a suspicion of game-fixing arises when bookmakers find an unusually gross half-time bets in the game between Panionos and Dinamo Tbilisi. Betting predicts the Greek side to win 5-2 which was then behind by a score 1-0. An investigation was ordered when the outcome of the score matches with the bets.

In early 2005, German Football Association exposed that Robert Hoyzer a referee was under inquiry for a supposed betting on a game between Paderborn and first Bundesliga and perhaps fix the match to his advantage. Eventually, Hoyzer was convicted and serve a two and a half years prison term.

In late September 2005, at the Sao Paulo state championship, organizers accused Edilson Pereira and Paulo Jose Danelon of fixing some matches. The two referees are planning to move more than USD 100,000 on every match held. Armando Marquez quits his post as president of the national commission of referees, followed by the arrests of two businessmen Nagib Fayad and Vanderlei Pololi who acted as middlemen.between the syndicates and the referees.

In July 2007, the FBI make-known that they were investigating Tim Donaghy for placing bets on some NBA games, including a game where he officiated. During the trial Donaghy voluntarily pleads guilty to the charges labeled against him by the FBI.He now faces several cases filed by the state. • ]