Fixed Matches: 99% Win

A fixed match is a sporting event with a pre-determined outcome. Athletes, team management and referees often participate in organizing “strange matches”, and sometimes bettors are involved in the process.

Fixed Matches most often occur within the framework of minor championships; the probability of a “fixed match” in major competitions tends to zero.

You can recognize a suspicious match yourself by an unusual change in the odds in bookmakers, strange behavior of the players and the referee, and an unexpected final result.On the Internet, in social networks and messengers, scammers deceive sports betting fans by offering information about fights with supposedly known results.

What is a fixed match?

Fixed matches are sporting events with a pre-determined outcome that suits both parties from a tournament or financial point of view.

The organizers and participants of the conspiracy keep information about the contractual nature of the meeting secret; it is extremely difficult to find out about the agreement in advance.

Organising “strange matches” is contrary to sporting principles and is punishable by long-term or lifelong disqualification of athletes, tournament sanctions, administrative fines and criminal liability, depending on the country.

What are they?

Conventionally, fixed fights in sports can be divided into 2 types depending on the purpose:

1. Changing the tournament standings. A team makes an agreement with an opponent to deliberately lose a match or play a draw. The opponent’s loss or draw will allow the team to achieve a desired tournament result, such as promotion, entry into the European Cup zone, or retention of a place in the top league. Often, the match referee is involved in the collusion.
2. Winnings at bookmakers. Bettors place a bet on an underdog and bribe the favorite of the match so that the leader loses to the opponent. Collusion is possible in minor tournaments.

An additional type of fixed matches is the intentional ending of a match with a result that suits both parties from a tournament point of view.

One of the matches in question, which many experts and fans call fixed, took place at Euro 2004 between Denmark and Sweden. If the score was tied 2-2 or higher, both teams would advance to the playoffs regardless of the outcome of the other match in the group between Italy and Bulgaria.

In the end, the Danes and Swedes played a 2:2 draw that was convenient for both teams. No official investigations were conducted, but the Italians are sure that the teams played a “fixed match”.

Signs of a fixed match

A fixed match is a game with a predetermined outcome. The final outcome of such a match is unlawfully influenced in one way or another.

Theoretically, any fixed match can be classified as a sensation. Simply because the latter happen regularly in sports. Underdogs occasionally take points from favorites not only in lower divisions, but also, for example, in the Premier League or the Spanish championship. But if you want to find a fixed match, take a closer look at matches where one or more of the following factors coincide.

1. A sensational result, for which bookmakers gave high odds. If the odds for the outcome are higher than 10.00, it is already a sensation. And a reason to think: did the teams come to an agreement?
2. Strange behavior of athletes or referees during the game. It happens that defenders let forwards through to the goal. It happens that the main goalkeeper lets incomprehensible blunders and childish balls. It happens that the referee interferes with the course of the match, assigning outrageous penalties or sending players off the field. Sometimes one or more key athletes are not included in the team, although there is no news of injuries (disqualifications).
3. A sudden change in the game situation on the field. If the favorite is leading 2:0 and then concedes three goals in a row, this is at least suspicious. Especially if there were no objective reasons for the change in the situation (removal, injury of one of the leaders).
4. Intentional fouls or missed penalties. If you see a defender commit a foul in his own penalty area for no apparent reason, it’s strange. It seems like there was some outside interference.
5. A sharp change in bookmaker odds at some stage of the competition. Moreover, the odds usually change at a time when nothing foreshadows this.

Who is “Dogger” in betting

A “dogger” in betting is a client of a bookmaker’s office who bets on events with an already known outcome.

“Doggers” who bet large amounts operate in one of the following ways:

• order the organization of a “fixed match” directly from the participants of the game;
• buy information about “fixed matches” from informants;
• make agreements with athletes or judges for a specific result.

It is easier to reach an agreement with teams, athletes and judges in small championships; participants receive small salaries and feel a need for money.

According to unofficial information from closed sources, in one of the lower leagues of Kazakhstani football, a betting player would agree with a relative who was a referee on a certain number of yellow cards in a match and would place a bet on the agreed total.

How to find a fixed match yourself

Let’s be honest: 99.9% of fixed matches cannot be tracked. No, some suspicious movements of the odds, strange actions of players sometimes become public knowledge, but if the match is not recognized as fixed, there is nothing to talk about.

That’s why each of us sometimes secretly thought: if only we could know the result of a match in advance, place a bet without risk and get a huge jackpot. That’s why there are players who try to find a fixed match on their own, without being participants in a criminal conspiracy. Is it possible? Theoretically, yes. In practice, it’s incredibly difficult to do.

The only effective way to find a fixed match is to constantly monitor bookmaker odds, tracking sharp drops in odds for a particular outcome.

Here you need to understand that the bookmaker adjusts the odds depending on the cash flow that goes to a particular outcome. If the odds fell from 10:00 to 5:00 in a short time, it means that a large sum of money came to the outcome. This could be several bets, or tens or even hundreds. The money came – the bookmaker reacted. And you should analyze the reason yourself.

Is it a coincidence or a real fixed match? It’s up to you to decide whether to bet your money following other players or to abstain. But pay attention to the fact that in most cases, large sums are poured into fixed matches directly during the match.

As for the pre-match, there are different options. Even if the odds change abruptly, the match cannot be 100% called fixed. For example, a bookmaker opened a line for a match, and then it turned out that one of the teams decided to play with a youth team. There can be many reasons: lack of motivation, an already solved tournament task, or, on the contrary, a loss of chances to continue the fight. An epidemic of injuries. Anything really.

In addition, you should remember that fixed matches are almost impossible in top league matches. The resonance is too high, no athlete will risk a successful career for a one-time, albeit large, reward. If you are already involved in an independent search for fixed matches, then pay attention to games in the lower leagues, and even better – to friendly matches.

Yes, bookmakers offer bets on them too, it is much easier to explain some sensation in them. True, you can bet much less than on the Champions League final.

Independent search for fixed matches does not bear any responsibility before the law, it can be done quite legally. Another question is that only their organizers, who prepare in advance and bet money through a network of informants in different countries and bookmakers, really earn money on fixed matches.

How to recognize a fixed match on your own

Unusual movement of the line in bookmakers is not the only sign of a possible fixed nature of the meeting.

Other possible signs of a fight with a predetermined outcome:

• suspicious behavior on the part of the players – obvious violations in the penalty area, misses from advantageous positions, a complete lack of attacks by one of the sides;
• suspicious behavior of the referee – controversial penalties or, conversely, the absence of a penalty kick in the event of a clear violation;
• an unexpected result of a match that is particularly advantageous for one of the parties or both opponents – for example, a sensational loss by a favorite that allows the underdog to retain its place in the league.

None of the signs or even a combination of criteria guarantees that the teams played a fixed match.

For example, a sharp increase in the odds for a favorite to win can be explained by the news about fielding a reserve team, and the strange behavior of players can be explained by mistakes.

Examples

Fixed matches in football and other disciplines occur periodically, but they prefer to remain silent about “fixed matches” in the lower leagues. Fixed matches in major championships cause a loud public outcry.

How bookmakers calculate the bet on a fixed match

Bets on fixed matches do not violate the law if the bookmaker’s client does not participate in the conspiracy.

If there is a suspicion that the match was fixed, the bookmaker has the right to calculate the bet with odds of 1.00.

What sanctions?

The bookmaker will not block a player’s account for placing a bet on a match that was later found to be fixed.

If a client frequently bets on suspicious matches, the bookmaker may accuse the user of fraud and block the gaming account.

Pros and cons

The advantage of “strange matches” is the selfish benefit for the parties involved in the collusion.

Disadvantages of match fixing:

• violation of sports principles;
• losses of honest clients of bookmakers;
• a pathetic sight for the fans.

Conclusion

Fixed matches in tennis, football, hockey and other sports are not common, but not exceptional.

“Fixed matches” are more often organized in little-known leagues; the probability of a bought match in a major championship is practically zero.

You can suspect a duel of a predetermined outcome on your own, but it is premature to assert that the match is fixed based solely on the movement of the bookmakers’ line, the behavior of the athletes, and the outcome of the game.