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Match Fixing and Sports Betting in Football: Empirical Evidence from the German Bundesliga

Author

Listed:
  • Christian Deutscher

    (University of Bielefeld, Department of Sport Science)

  • Eugen Dimant

    (University of Pennsylvania, Behavioral Ethics Lab, Philosophy, Politics and Economics Program)

  • Brad R. Humphreys

    (West Virginia University, Department of Economics)

Abstract

Corruption in sports represents an important challenge to their integrity. Corruption can take many forms, including match fixing by players, referees, or team officials. Match fixing can be difficult to detect. We use a unique data set to analyze variation in bet volume on Betfair, a major online betting exchange, for evidence of abnormal patterns associated with specific referees who officiated matches. An analysis of 1,251 Bundesliga 1 football matches from 2010/11 to 2014/15 reveals evidence that bet volume in the Betfair markets in these matches was systematically higher for four referees relative to matches officiated by other referees. Our results are robust to alternative specifications and are thus suggestive of potentially existing match fixing and corruption in the German Bundesliga.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Deutscher & Eugen Dimant & Brad R. Humphreys, 2017. "Match Fixing and Sports Betting in Football: Empirical Evidence from the German Bundesliga," Working Papers 17-01, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    • Handle: RePEc:wvu:wpaper:17-01
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    File URL: http://busecon.wvu.edu/phd_economics/pdf/17-01.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kwabena Donkor & Lorenz Götte & Maximilian W. Müller & Eugen Dimant & Michael Kurschilgen, 2023. "Identity and Economic Incentives," CESifo Working Paper Series 10860, CESifo.
    2. Cedric Gottschalk & Stefan Tewes & Benjamin Niestroj, 2020. "The Innovation of Refereeing in Football Through AI," International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 6(2), pages 35-54, June.
    3. Jerg Gutmann & Viola Lucas, 2018. "Private-Sector Corruption: Measurement and Cultural Origins," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(2), pages 747-770, July.
    4. Christian Deutscher & Marius Ötting & Sandra Schneemann & Hendrik Scholten, 2019. "The Demand for English Premier League Soccer Betting," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(4), pages 556-579, May.
    5. Christoph Buehren & Tim Meyer & Christian Pierdzioch, 2020. "Experimental Evidence on Forecaster (anti-) Herding in Sports Markets," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202038, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corruption; betting exchange; football; referee bias;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • L8 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services
    • Z2 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics

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