When small leagues get caught rigging games, they lose credibility, so do you really think it never happens in major leagues?
It happens, but when they execute it, it looks very natural and is excused for an error. Small leagues rig games in obvious ways like correct scores, from the referees and even player intentional malfunction and for me it is too obvious. Bigger clubs do it with players rotation from my observation. The managers of such team can choose to make quick substitutions that would weaken the team's stronghold and leave the team vulnerable and easy to be conquered, other times they may decide to use weaker players for a match with the excuse of resting stronger ones. Even a wrong formation can be used to increase the chances that a team wins or is defeated.
The time it seems to me that games are mostly rigged is towards the end of the season and mostly by teams that have enough advantage with respect to their positions on the table.
So here’s the question, do you believe the league itself could be the mastermind, doing this to beat the betting public? And if this is really happening but can’t be proven, what’s our approach as bettors to still make a profit from it?
I do not think the leagues would be the mastermind, although no one is completely innocent, but I would try to believe that it is arranged from the club level. The bettors can analyze very well games and see if there is a possibility of these teams underperforming in aspect of form, formation, player availability and team position on the table. I check properly before deciding my picks