So here’s the question, do you believe the league itself could be the mastermind, doing this to beat the betting public?
There's nothing mankind isn't capable of, including this you mentioned here. So, we can't completely rule that out in sports and betting. I believe if that's possible at the lower league, it will also be possible at whatever top league there is. It's just that those at the more established leagues will be more discreet than the amateurs, knowing what's at stake and the dire consequences if their cover is blown off.
We've seen awards go to players we ordinarily believe didn't deserve them. If anything, such alleged skewed awards also point to rigging. Anything handled by humans is bound to harbour compromises. Match fixing isn't an exception. That's my conclusion.