A new study revealed that half of Americans believe that professional athletes manipulate their performances to help sports bettors cash their tickets.
The results showed that respondents believed that the athletes “sometimes” or “often” performed at a pre-determined level.
Key Takeaways
- Most skeptical age groups were also the most likely to bet on sports.
- Only 31% of respondents said they thought that athletes rarely or never manipulated their performances.
- More than one-in-four Americans say they have placed a bet on sports.
The poll was conducted by Desert News and the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
According to their findings, more than a quarter of Americans used a sportsbook to wager on a sports event. That number was even higher for the younger population.
The sentiment that athletes alter their performances to fit the requirements of sports bettors is a strong accusation by the public. Most sports leagues don’t allow athletes to bet on the sport that they play, and all of them ban collaboration between athletes and bettors to help win money from sportsbooks.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, the poll found that 50% of Americans believed that athletes altered how they played to help sports bettors. Of those surveyed, 31% said that they believed it rarely or never happened, and another 18% said that they were unsure.
Suspicion was greater among individuals from Gen Z and Gen X, with more than one in two respondents stating they felt there was nefarious interference. Despite that, those generations were also the most likely to bet on sports. A higher number of Gen Zers, 40%, said they had bet on sports, while only 15% of baby boomers said they had participated.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
Gambling is ingrained in Americans
Sports betting is a massive industry. The American Gaming Association estimated that Americans would legally wager $1.76 billion on Super Bowl LX, not counting money lost to offshore sportsbooks or prediction markets.
Kalshi, the leading prediction platform, reported more than $1 billion in trading volume on Super Bowl Sunday. That represented a record daily high and a 2,700% year-over-year increase, CNBC reported.
All in all, 28% of Americans said they placed a bet using a sportsbook or betting app. Men were twice as likely to place a sports bet as women were.
According to the poll, 41% of respondents believe that the pervasiveness of sports betting has been bad for sports. Just under a third, 30%, said that it hasn’t had an effect on the product, and 16% said it’s made a positive difference.
Scandals pile up
While sports leagues and federations remain committed to preserving their integrity, betting scandals have become increasingly regular at all levels.
The NBA is still reeling from investigations into Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups, which ended with their being charged for various crimes. The league is also looking into Malik Beasley and has more ongoing investigations.
MLB’s Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase are set to go to trial after they were accused of manipulating the outcomes of their pitches to help sports bettors win more than $460,000. The pair were placed on non-disciplinary leave in July 2025.
Despite those scandals, sports betting is still building momentum across the country, with sportsbooks reporting record revenue totals and increasing their hold percentages.
