Point shaving is a form of sports corruption or match-fixing in which participants, typically athletes, intentionally manipulate the score or outcome of a sporting event to ensure that the final result meets a specific point spread or margin set by gamblers or illegal betting organizations. This is usually done to influence the betting odds and allow those involved in the scheme to profit from their wagers.
Point shaving can involve various sports, but it is most commonly associated with college basketball in the United States, where there is a significant amount of sports betting. In a typical point-shaving scheme, players might deliberately miss shots, commit turnovers, or make defensive mistakes to prevent their team from winning by a certain margin, ensuring that the game’s outcome aligns with the desired point spread.
Point shaving is illegal and unethical and can have severe consequences for those involved. Players, coaches, and anyone participating in such schemes can face criminal charges, bans from their respective sports, and damage to their reputations. Additionally, point shaving undermines the integrity of sports and erodes the trust of fans and bettors in the fairness of competition. Many sports organizations and law enforcement agencies have implemented strict rules and regulations and conduct investigations when there are suspicions of wrongdoing to combat point shaving and other forms of sports corruption.