Reviewing, from a Las Vegas perspective, the potentially most questionable games of basketball referee Tim Donaghy The eye-popping research of Sports Betting Expert RJ Bell of Pregame.com on the NBA game fixing scandal has been featured by ESPN (Internet, TV, and radio), ABC Evening News, Nightline, the Associated Press, and literally hundreds of other outlets. Las Vegas, Nevada (July 24, 2007) The Internet community is busy researching all the available video and box scores to uncover any potential game-fixing from accused referee Tim Donaghy. With gambling reportedly involved, a key focuses should be those games that ended very close to the point spread with special attention given to the closing minutes of those games. *** Last season alone, 13 games refereed by Tim Donaghy fell within A SINGLE POINT of the Las Vegas point spread. In addition, a key consideration overlooked by the press is that it is common for bettors to bet the money lines on a game. A money line allows a bettor to ignore the point spread, and bet on which team will win or lose the game. If Donaghy or others bet that way, then Donaghys game fixing efforts would have affected not just the point-spread result, but the winner of the game itself. *** In the last two seasons alone, the winner of 14 NBA games refereed by Tim Donaghy was decided by a single bucket or less! MEDIA NOTE: Print, radio, TV, and Internet media should feel free to quote any information above; please attribute to RJ Bell, founder of Pregame.com. RJ Bell is available by email for media appearances and any follow-up questions at: rjbell@pregame.com Close point spread games (side bets): 4/23/07 Pistons 98 (-8) Magic 90 4/10/07 Nets 96 (-3) Wizards 92 2/21/07 Pacers 136 (-7) Bucks 129 2/9/07 Warriors 123 (-1) Bulls 121 12/20/06 Mavs 103 (-7.5) Sonics 95 11/24/07 Hawks 97 (-3.5) Raptors 93 11/12/06 Mavs 103 (-6) Blazers 96 Close over/under games (total bets) 4/7/07 Magic 116, Grizzlies 89, total points: 205, vegas total 205 3/8/07 Kings 93, Spurs 100, total points: 193, vegas total 193 2/26/07 Knicks 99, Heat 93, total points 192, vegas total 191.5 2/23/07 Bobcats 102, 76ers 87, total points 189, vegas total 189.5 2/10/07 Sonics 93, Kings 114, total points 207, vegas total 207 12/22/06 Hawks 90, Pacers 100, total points 190, vegas total 190 Close games: (last two seasons) [home team listed first] 5/4/07 Nets 98, Raptors 97 4/15/07 Raptors 107, Knicks 105 3/21/07 Bucks 103, Clippers 104 3/11/07 Raptors 120, Sonics 119 3/2/07 Wizards 93, Hawks 92 2/9/07 Warriors 123, Bulls 121 2/7/07 Nuggets 112, Hornets 114 3/17/06 Knicks 105, Pistons 103 2/25/06 Mavericks 115, Raptors 113 1/10/06 Nuggets 139, Suns 137 12/28/05 Hornets 92, Rockets 90 12/19/05 Grizzlies 104, Pistons 106 11/6/05 Knicks 81, Warriors 83 11/4/05 Celtics 81, Pistons 82 MEDIA NOTE: Print, radio, TV, and Internet media should feel free to quote any information above; please attribute to RJ Bell, founder of Pregame.com. RJ Bell is available by email for media appearances and any follow-up questions at: rjbell@pregame.com |