2021 Suspicious Betting Trends in Global Football Report

LONDON and CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stats Perform Integrity and Starlizard Integrity Services have released their fourth annual Suspicious Betting Trends in Global Football Report. The report aims to provide fellow stakeholders in the sports integrity community with a significant and informative overview of current trends in suspicious football betting.

Detailed analysis was conducted on betting markets offered on 61,296 football matches played throughout the world in 2020. While this is down 23% on the 80,939 matches analysed the previous year - primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing the cancellation of so many fixtures - it is comparable to the 62,250 matches analysed two years ago.

Key findings of the 2021 Suspicious Betting Trends in Global Football Report:

• Despite concerns around the short-term risks in football being increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 217 (0.35%) matches in 2020 were identified as suspicious, a reduction in both real and percentage terms from the 456 (0.56%) matches in last year's report. 
• This is the third successive year that the proportion of suspicious matches identified has reduced, and it is now over 50% less than our inaugural report from 2018 when 0.73% of matches were identified as suspicious. 
• The proportion of suspicious matches in 2020 peaked in the spring when betting focus was concentrated on friendly matches and lower profile competitions. However, in the autumn months, as fixture calendars returned to relative normality, proportions dropped to well below those of previous years.  
• 42% of all suspicious matches were at the highest level of domestic football in the country in which they took place. 36% of suspicious matches took place at the second highest level of domestic football.
• As with previous editions of the report, friendly matches continue to pose significant issues for football authorities. 1.19% of analysed friendlies were suspicious, which is an increase from 0.67% in last year's report. Concerns around friendly matches are heightened when they take place in countries with a historically increased risk of suspicious competitive matches.
• Suspicious matches in women's football continue to be rare, with only one identified amongst more than 3,700 matches analysed.  
• A number of case studies have been identified where interventions by football authorities and law enforcement have preceded significant reductions in suspicious matches.

The Stats Perform Integrity and Starlizard Integrity Services teams worked together, each using their own advanced in-house systems and analytical capabilities to examine the betting markets on every single match within the study.

The results are an in-depth analysis of key betting markets (Asian Handicap, 1X2 and Total Goals markets) on football matches, including domestic and international competitions, across 112 countries and six continents. Betting markets for all of the matches were heavily scrutinised, in real-time and retrospectively, in order to identify any suspicious betting. The outcome of the analysis identified betting markets associated with 217 matches to be suspicious.

This report provides a detailed breakdown of where and when suspicious matches took place and compares the findings to those of previous years. It looks at locations, timings, tiers, and levels of competition, and whether the suspicious betting occurred across youth, international, friendly or women's matches. The report also notes the effects of law enforcement action on match-fixing.

Now in its fourth year, the Suspicious Betting Trends in Global Football Report has become an eagerly awaited publication for integrity stakeholders and seeks to provide valuable insight into the match-fixing risk facing the sport.

Jake Marsh, Global Head of Integrity, Stats Perform: "After four years of publishing this report it is great to see that the analysis continues to generate objective and fact-based insights for football's governing bodies, integrity stakeholders, and fans alike. 2020 was an exceptional year for football in how it was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will no doubt be understanding the long-term effects and risks to the sport for several years. Despite the reduction in fixtures in 2020 there was still a very high number of matches that we identified as suspicious and potentially linked to manipulation. There are cautious signs for optimism in some areas, but the report shows the risk of match-fixing is ever present in football, and it is paramount that those protecting the sport are properly equipped to protect the beautiful game."

Affy Sheikh, Head of Integrity, Starlizard: "The COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of football fixtures and the suspension of leagues around the world, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of games played during 2020. Worryingly, we have still identified over 200 games that are suspicious in terms of potential match manipulation, and that, we feel, warrant further investigation. Despite the more limited availability of matches due to the pandemic, this suggests that criminals have found new ways and new targets in their attempts to manipulate matches and the betting markets. It is imperative that all football stakeholders remain vigilant to the threat of match-fixing at all times and make adequate resources available to keep the sport clean, free from corrupt influence, and to ensure that football fans can enjoy watching an honest and fair game."

To access the report please go to: https://www.statsperform.com/resource/suspicious-betting-trends-in-global-football-2021-report/

About Stats Perform

Stats Perform is the market leader in SportsTech providing the most trusted sports data and the latest advancements in applying AI and machine learning to deliver better predictions for teams, sportsbooks and a more engaging broadcast, media and fan experience. The company collects the most detailed sports data to create new experiences across sports. Leveraging the richest sports database, Stats Perform enhances sports competition and entertainment through machine learning and computer vision to create advanced predictions and analysis – be that for digital and broadcast media with differentiated storytelling, tech companies with reliable and fast data to power their innovations, sportsbooks with in-play betting, rights holders and sports governing bodies with integrity services, or teams with first-of-its-kind AI analysis software. For more information, visit StatsPerform.com

About Starlizard Integrity Services

Starlizard Integrity Services has been producing independent anti-match-fixing analyses for football governing bodies and associations since 2010, using its deep insight to identify betting market discrepancies and suspicious patterns, coupled with on-pitch performance data analyses and detailed research. With an unrivalled knowledge of world football and betting market movements, it is perfectly placed to identify suspicious games and betting patterns. Starlizard Integrity Services is part of Starlizard, the London-based sports betting consultancy that specialises in football and understanding the Asian Handicap and Total Goals betting markets. Its active involvement in betting markets affords a unique perspective, knowing better than anyone else in the world what betting markets should look like and therefore when betting markets look wrong. For more information, visit www.starlizard.com/integrity-services.

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SOURCE Stats Perform