Many good points made in this thread (especially by MidwestHawker, imo). I won't beat this dead horse because most already know my staunch, unwavering opinion on the idea that refs are "cheating". I've went so far as to report that I personally know people that would be in the middle of such shenanigans, that would be the ones pulling the strings on such shenanigans, and those people have assured me "it can't happen, it would take the involvement of too many and the involvement of so many is why it wouldn't work". Basically, if 2 people knew, that would be one too many.
One poster cites the ratio of dishonest people to honest people in society as a whole. This is a good point, but if a ref is dishonest and underhanded, wouldn't that same prick ultimately cash-in by writing a book, or telling of the nefarious activities taking place? Imagine the money to be made in that. Is it fear that prevents him from doing so? We don't hear about refs dying mysterious deaths. If we did, I'd be quite suspicious. The other issue here is if a ref is crooked, who would trust this guy with the billions generated yearly by the league?
Further, let's say it's just a rogue ref that has a friend placing bets to the side the ref favors. Again, too many people involved to make that a smart bet. I give you last night for example. We got pounded with penalties, still we covered the spread with ease. The only way I could see such activity being a winning proposition would be if the rogue ref, sure to be brought to the table by his peers and the league, had his friend betting the over on number of penalties called in the game. It's just not happening people. I'd bet on that.
BUT...we have no way of knowing for sure that a ref just doesn't like this player, or this team, so takes it upon himself to call ticky tack bullshit. I do believe this happens but I think it's isolated and definitely not part of any grand conspiracy. There's just too much at stake and exactly why Vegas doesn't cheat it's customers at the tables or anywhere else. Like the NFL, they don't have to. You don't kill the goose laying those golden eggs.