Kristian Ferrell
Point shaving is a type of match-fixing in basketball where players collude with gamblers to manipulate the final score of a game without intending to change the winning team. This is typically done by players from the team favoured to win, who, in exchange for a bribe, ensure that their team does not cover the point spread, i.e., they still win but not by a large margin as predicted by bookmakers. Point shaving is illegal in some countries, and those caught and convicted face stiff penalties, including jail time. Notable scandals involving point shaving include the Boston College scandal in 1978-1979 and the Tulane scandal in 1984-1985.
Characteristics and Values Table for Point Shaving in Basketball:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A type of match-fixing where players try to change the final score of a game without intending to change the winning team. |
| Participants | Sports gamblers, players from the team favored to win, referees or officials |
| Objective | To prevent a team from covering a published point spread, where gamblers bet on the margin of victory. |
| Method | Players collude with gamblers and accept bribes to underperform, ensuring their team does not cover the point spread. |
| Examples | CCNY scandal (1951), Boston College scandal (1978-1979), Tulane scandal (1984-1985), Arizona State scandal (mid-1990s) |
| Legality | Illegal in some countries with penalties including jail time. |
| Deterrence | The NCAA has adopted a zero-tolerance policy and produced posters to warn players against point shaving. |
| Vulnerability | Senior or final-year players are more vulnerable due to the lack of deterrence leverage and the reality of their career endings. |
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What You'll Learn
How point shaving works
In basketball, point shaving is a type of match-fixing where players collude with gamblers to change the final score of a game without influencing the winning team. Point shaving is typically carried out by players on the team favoured to win the game. In exchange for a bribe, these players agree to ensure that their team does not cover the point spread, meaning they still win but by a smaller margin than predicted by bookmakers. The gambler then wagers against this team, betting on the margin of victory.
Alternatively, players on the team predicted to lose may be bribed to lose by more points than the point spread, and gamblers will then wager on their opponents to cover the spread. Point shaving does not require players to play a certain way, they simply need to ensure the final score is favourable to the gambler. For example, a player could be offered money to sit out a game.
Point shaving is often initiated by gamblers who target players in need of extra money. Once one player is involved, it becomes easier to recruit others. Gamblers may also bribe officials, such as referees, to influence "close calls" in favour of the desired outcome.
Basketball is particularly susceptible to point shaving because of the scoring tempo of the game and the influence one player can have on key events. Famous examples of point shaving include the Boston College basketball scandal of 1978-1979, orchestrated by gangsters Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke, and the Tulane men's basketball scandal of 1984-1985, which caused the university to disband its program for four seasons.
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Examples of point shaving in basketball
Point shaving in basketball is a type of match-fixing where players collude with gamblers to change the final score of a game without influencing the winning team. This is typically done by players to prevent their team from covering a published point spread, where gamblers bet on the margin of victory.
CCNY Point-Shaving Scandal (1951)
The City College of New York (CCNY) was involved in a point-shaving scandal during the 1950-1951 season. Despite winning the national championship in 1950, the scandal came to light a year later. Sherman White, one of the stars on the CCNY team, served a year in jail as a consequence.
Boston College (1978-1979)
Mobster Henry Hill, who was the subject of the film Goodfellas, orchestrated point shaving at Boston College during the 1978-1979 basketball season. Rick Kuhn, a former player, admitted that he was approached by gamblers before his senior year and thought that players in their junior and senior years were most vulnerable to such offers.
Arizona State (1993-1994)
The Arizona State point-shaving scandal started when Stevin Smith, deep in debt from gambling, asked his teammate Isaac Burton Jr. to miss some free throws if needed. Smith was paid $20,000 to influence four games, and both players ended up in jail.
Tulane (1984-1985)
In 1985, a Sports Illustrated report revealed that John Williams, a central figure in the Tulane point-shaving scandal, received $900 for ensuring that Tulane failed to cover the 10-point spread it was favored by over Southern Mississippi. He then took $4,500 for a similar action in another game.
University of San Diego (2009-2010)
In the wake of the University of San Diego's 2009 game against UC-Riverside, unusual betting patterns were observed, indicating potential point-shaving. Two former University of San Diego basketball players and an ex-assistant coach were charged by federal authorities for their involvement in a plot to fix games.
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Why basketball is an easy sport for point shaving
Point shaving in basketball is a type of match-fixing where players in collusion with gamblers try to change the final score of a game without influencing the winning team. This is done by players of the team favoured to win agreeing, in exchange for a bribe, to ensure that their team does not cover the point spread. The gambler then wagers against the bribed team. Alternatively, players on the team predicted to lose may be bribed to lose by more points than the indicated point spread, and gamblers will wager on their opponents to cover the spread.
Basketball is an easy sport for point shaving because of the scoring tempo of the game and the ease with which a single player can influence key events. For instance, a missed layup here, a bad pass there, or a clanked free throw at the end of regulation can all influence the final score without changing the winning team.
Moreover, players in need of extra spending money are often tempting targets for gamblers. For example, in the 1985 Tulane basketball scandal, a central figure, John Williams, received $900 for helping to ensure that Tulane failed to cover the 10-point spread it was favoured to win by. Williams then took $4,500 for helping to ensure that the team lost by more than the seven-point spread.
The Arizona State point-shaving scandal of the mid-1990s also illustrates how easy it is to recruit players for point shaving in basketball. It started with one teammate, deep in debt from gambling, asking another if he would miss some free throws if needed. This eventually led to "one of the worst sports betting scandals in U.S. history," ending with both players in jail.
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NCAA's zero-tolerance policy on gambling
Point shaving in basketball is a type of match-fixing where players collude with gamblers to change the final score of a game without influencing the winning team. This is typically done by players of the team favoured to win, who, in exchange for a bribe, ensure that their team does not cover the point spread. The gambler then wagers against this team.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has a zero-tolerance policy for gambling activities, which includes both staff members of the athletics department and student-athletes. This policy has been adopted in response to the widespread legalization of sports betting across numerous states, aiming to uphold the integrity of college sports while acknowledging the potential for mistakes by young athletes.
The NCAA's new gambling guidelines introduce strict policies, such as permanent collegiate bans, for athletes found to have bet on their games, influenced game outcomes, bet on other sports at their school, or provided information to someone engaged in sports betting. These guidelines also consider mitigating factors and impose consequences based on the total amount of money involved in the bets. For example, athletes who engage in sports betting on non-college sports will face penalties ranging from mandatory education programs for smaller bets to eligibility loss for larger amounts.
While the NCAA's zero-tolerance policy remains unchanged by the legalization of sports wagering in states like Kentucky, the organization has amended its disciplinary policies to include more flexible and proportional punishments for less serious gambling activities. This shift in policy aims to balance the need for integrity with opportunities for growth and education, providing pathways for athletes to reclaim their eligibility.
To support this balanced approach, universities like the University of Louisville have implemented additional initiatives, including educational sessions with independent gambling harm minimization consultancies, to help student-athletes and staff make sound decisions regarding gambling.
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Point shaving as a federal crime
Point shaving is a type of match-fixing in organised sports, where participants collude with gamblers to change the final score of a game without influencing the game's outcome. In basketball, this is done by deliberately missing shots, committing turnovers, or fouling. The aim is to prevent the team from covering the published point spread, which is the predicted margin of victory set by bookmakers. This allows gamblers to bet on the favourite team to win but by a smaller margin than predicted, or to bet on the underdog team to lose by a smaller margin than predicted.
Point shaving is considered a federal crime in the United States, with specific laws against bribery and conspiracy to influence the outcome of a sporting contest (18 U.S. Code § 224, 1961). The NCAA, the governing body of college sports in the US, has a zero-tolerance policy towards gambling activities by its athletes and has implemented policies to deter point shaving. Despite these efforts, there have been several notable point-shaving scandals involving NCAA athletes, including the Boston College scandal in 1978-79 and the Tulane scandal in 1984-85, which led to the university disbanding its basketball program for four seasons.
The punishment for those convicted of point shaving can include jail time, loss of NCAA eligibility, and bans from professional sports leagues. In addition to legal consequences, evidence suggests that gambling-related corruption by players significantly decreases fan interest and sustains this decline over time. This further emphasises the importance of addressing point shaving and other forms of match-fixing in sports.
While point shaving does not involve directly throwing a game or changing the winning team, it still constitutes a form of fraud and corruption that undermines the integrity of the sport. The involvement of gamblers and the potential for large financial gains or losses further complicates the issue, leading to strict penalties and federal involvement in addressing this type of sporting corruption.
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Frequently asked questions
Point shaving is a type of match-fixing in basketball where players collude with gamblers to change the final score of a game without changing the winner. The players are bribed to ensure their team does not cover the published point spread.
Players in need of extra spending money are often tempted by gamblers to engage in point shaving. In some cases, gamblers offer to place bets on behalf of the players.
Point shaving can involve a player missing a layup, making a bad pass, or missing a free throw. These actions can influence the final score without changing the winner of the game.
Point shaving is illegal in some countries, and those convicted can face stiff penalties, including jail time. It is considered a federal crime for an NCAA athlete to engage in point shaving.
