TLDR Sportradar flagged 1,116 suspicious matches in 2025 across 94 countries and 12 sports, less than 0.5% of over one million monitored events Match-fixing has shifted from rigging outcomes to manipulating in-game events like corners and fouls, making detection harder Live betting markets account for 77% of all match-fixing cases Football leads with 618 suspicious matches, followed by basketball, tennis, and table tennis Fraud activity is declining in Europe and South America but rising in Asia and Africa
Match-fixing cases fell in volume during 2025, but the methods behind them have become harder to spot. According to data from Sportradar, 1,116 matches showed signs of manipulation last year across 94 countries and 12 different sports.
That number represents less than 0.5% of the more than one million sporting events monitored by the organization. While the percentage is small, experts warn the threat is far from over.
The nature of match-fixing has changed. In the past, the most common scheme involved a team or player deliberately losing a game. That approach has become less common.
Today, fixers target in-game events instead. Things like the number of corners, fouls, or throw-ins are now the focus of manipulation. These micro-events have less impact on the final result, which makes them much harder to flag.
Live Betting Drives the Majority of Suspicious Activity
Modern schemes also involve fewer participants. That smaller footprint adds another layer of difficulty for investigators trying to identify fraud.
Live betting has become the primary vehicle for match-fixing. According to the Sportradar data, 77% of all suspicious matches involved live betting markets. The fast-paced nature of in-play wagering creates conditions that are easier for fixers to exploit.
Football remains the sport most affected by manipulation. In 2025, 618 suspicious football matches were recorded. Basketball, tennis, and table