Something wasn't right

TOLEDO and LAS VEGAS - According to RJ Bell of Pregame.com, a sports betting news Web site out of Las Vegas, some of the University of Toledo basketball games and scores mentioned in Wednesday's federal indictment indicated something wasn't right.

FOX Toledo wants to make it clear that this is not firm, hard evidence of any cheating, but Bell said some games during the alleged point-shaving period are raising some suspicions.

One game FOX Toledo and Bell looked at was the Dec. 21, 2005, home game against East Carolina. The Rockets win by 12 over the Pirates, but the spread had UT favored by 14.

So if you bet the Rockets, you lost while the team won.

"So they actually lost the bet but win the game," Bell said via cell phone from Las Vegas. "That's a prime scenario of game fixing."

Bell said games like that suggest point shaving, although it is not concrete evidence.

The two Metro Detroit men -- Ghazi Manni, 52, of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Mitchell Karam, 76, of Troy, Mich., -- allegedly paid UT players and bet $21,000 on the Dec. 21, 2005, game according to the feds.

"I'm certainly one or two levels removed from a true insider here in Vegas and even I heard there's something funny about Toledo games and that only happens once a year so these Toledo games were at the top of the heap."

Ball said in a span between 2005 and 2006, in games decided by less than 4 points, if you bet the Rockets to beat the Vegas projected outcome eight times, you lost seven.

"It's corroborating the story because in every case, the pattern is what you'd expect from a corrupt game," Bell said.

Another game FOX Toledo and Bell discussed was the Dec. 19, 2006, game between the Rockets and Detroit Mercy where UT beat the Titans by 10. The Rockets were favored by 11.

Federal prosecutors said Manni and Karam bet $21,000 on this game. Bell said teams should usually have a higher percentage of covering the spread than what he is seeing with the Rockets.

"That's even more of a pattern because corrupt players will be especially aggressive in the game when the betting result hangs in the balance."

Many question why the University of Toledo is at the center of point shaving allegations when it's not a major basketball power.

Bell said a smaller, less recognizable school has its advantages and disadvantages. Point shaving is easier because the players probably won't go pro, so dangling some money in front of them is attractive.

It's harder at places like Toledo because if Vegas sees a lot of money bet on small school game, it starts to raise red flags.