FBI reportedly investigating CS:GO match-fixing

[Shizzmoney]

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that it is working in close proximity with U.S. law enforcement, including the FBI to investigate accusations of match-fixing in the competitive world of online shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Ian Smith, Integrity Commissioner for the ESIC, revealed the operation in a conversation with YouTube channel Slash32. According to Kotaku Australia, Smith confirmed that there was indeed an investigation underway concerning a "relatively small but significant group of players" suspected of fixing matches in the CS:GO North American Mountain Dew League.

"[It’s] what I would describe as classic match-fixing," said Smith in the interview. "In other words, it’s players being bribed by outside betting syndicates in order to fix matches. Rather than players doing it off their own backs, opportunistically [...] it's been going on for longer, it's much more organized [than previous match-fixing schemes]."

https://www.destructoid.com/stories/...e-625111.phtml

Apparently, Australian authorities are also going after people in their nation.

Hacking is also rife in the game... and the Chinese govt just busted a $76m dollar cheating operation so yeah, I wouldn't bet on this shit or esports in general until we actually figure this shit out

[Dan Druff]

Yeah it's pretty crazy people bet on Esports at all, except for high profile matches in a secure setting, given the obvious vulnerabilities to hacking and insider help.

[Christopher Jr. aka Bubs]

Yeah it's pretty crazy people bet on Esports at all, except for high profile matches in a secure setting, given the obvious vulnerabilities to hacking and insider help.

As somebody who makes a living value-betting, I'd almost say it's crazy more people don't. You can only bet significant amounts on asian bookies & exchanges, so if you bet against the soft bookies following the trends on the asian bookies, you can often latch onto fixed matches. Best case scenario, it's fixed, worst case scenario, it's still a value bet because you probably beat the closing line, thus still +EV.

I have a good example from yesterday. Blink vs Alternate attax: https://www.hltv.org/matches/2348104...ope-relegation. I placed a value bet on this match on Alternate Attax @ 3.02 odds (could've gotten 3.05 if I wasn't restricted almost everywhere). Closing odds were around 2.3. No roster changes or anything from the favorites (Blink). My team was clearly meant to be the underdog. How did the match go? My team won 2-0 in maps. Map 1: 16-7. Map 2: 16-4. An absolute stomp, the "favorites" did not stand a chance.

And this is fairly common in dota2 & csgo (the 2 esports with a shitload of low-profile tournaments) from my personal observations. Just throwing 1 match has got to be infinitely more profitable for these players than literally finishing 1st place in some of these b-tier tournaments.