point-shaving
Fixing game margins
Point-shaving is a form of sports corruption where players deliberately limit their team's margin of victory to affect gambling outcomes.
Unlike throwing a game outright, point-shaving keeps the team winning while ensuring they don't cover the betting spread: The investigation revealed point-shaving by three starting players.
The practice has plagued college basketball in particular.
Restoring proper function
- spreadTo distribute widely
- bookmakerOne who takes bets
- bettorOne who gambles
- oddsLikelihood expressed numerically
wagering · organized crime · underdog · favorite · Vegas · line · payout · syndicate
Formal examination of facts
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- convictionFirmly held belief
- FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency
prosecution · conspiracy · bribery · cover-up · expose · allegations · evidence · wiretap
Game participant
- refereeSports rule enforcer
- college basketballUniversity-level hoops competition
- NCAAUniversity sports authority
- Boston CollegePrivate Jesuit university, Massachusetts
free throw · foul · turnover · margin · victory · defeat · teammate · coach
Done on purpose
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
- subtleNot immediately obvious
- undetectableImpossible to notice
- performanceCarrying out a task
underperforming · throwing · tanking · predetermined · scheme · arrangement · payoff · envelope
fixing
Restoring proper function
odds · wagering · organized crime · underdog · favorite · Vegas · line · payout · syndicate · gambler
investigation
Formal examination of facts
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- convictionFirmly held belief
FBI · prosecution · conspiracy · bribery · cover-up · expose · allegations · evidence · wiretap · testimony
player
Game participant
- refereeSports rule enforcer
- college basketballUniversity-level hoops competition
- NCAAUniversity sports authority
Boston College · free throw · foul · turnover · margin · victory · defeat · teammate · coach · scholarship
intentional
Done on purpose
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
- subtleNot immediately obvious
- undetectableImpossible to notice
performance · underperforming · throwing · tanking · predetermined · scheme · arrangement · payoff · envelope · cash