I referred to 'fixing' games;

I think we are all adults here. "Fixing" a football game does not refer to repair or healing. It is often suspected, but practically can't be done to deliberated success.

The Vegas Odds makers attempt to predict psychology of people - the numbers are more likely to reflect their attempt to get (manipulate public opinion)people to evenly divide over the outcome. Statistical predictions govern their House offerings - think about it this way:

IF you can statistically predict _which_ team will win, AND the people _always_ evenly divide, so that the winning team never has too many people betting on it, THEN your profit is governed by the ratio produced when you figure how often you are right (percentage) and divide it by how much over clinets' bets [investment?] the House returns (also percentage.)

Odds don't make percentages, and statisticians who use percentages tumble to the game before they finish the first computation.

The Commissioner of football is interested in promoting popularity of the game, attendance at stadiums, and advertising revenues. Gambling keeps interest up... Players gambling corrupts the fairness. This he will predictably oppose - you just can't see it any other way if you love football. If ever anyone _does_ succeed in "fixing" a game, the first thing you'll hear is "the fix is in!" This will not be the villain bragging about his accomplishment - It will be Vegas, warning each other they have a potential liability - the statistical favorite isn't fairly opposed. The bookies will reply with the correct response if competent: "ALL bets are off." Then they will refund your bet, and burn the tokens. In this way, Commissioner of Football and Vegas odds makers have a kind of symbiosis. This should not be mistaken for camaraderie. For that, you have to play the game.

If you cannot abide Pro-ball because of hatred of the fix, the beauty of College ball is also the thing that snobs will use to pan it. It's provincial. Colleges will actively recruit the best that they can find, but they have to 'cherche' as the French would put it. The Pro-ball clubs have only to read a roster to look for likely suspects; college recruiters have to watch tape and attend High School games form border to border. When college games are fixed, it is usually the same way, but there are no Vegas Odds makers to kill the process. The human cost is ever more than mom wanted to pay - it's still better than war.