Ask the six former Toledo student-athletes who were indicted yesterday for their alleged involvement in a points-shavings scam.

The 20-count indictment found that two business men, Ghazi Manni and Mitchell Karam, paid and gave gifts to three basketball and football student-athletes in exchange for them influencing the final score of games in which they were involved.

"Today's charges shine a light into the dark corner of illegal sports book-making and reveal the unfortunate consequences that the influence of money from betting can have on the integrity of both athletes and athletic contests," said United States Attorney Terrence Berg in a statement released by the Department of Justice.

The NCAA opposes all forms for legal and illegal sports wagering because participation in these types of activities can have a negative impact on the well-being of student-athletes. For example, sports wagering has proven ties with organized crime and student-athletes who open the door to these types of criminal activities can quickly become overwhelmed.

According to the FBI, the penalty for conspiracy to commit sports bribery and for unlawful use of interstate facilities is imprisonment for not more than five (5) years and/or a $250,000.00 fine. It's clear the student-athletes allegedly involved with this scheme profited in the short-term, but the long-term implications may end up changing the rest of their lives.

Student-athletes are warned of the dangers of sports-wagering from the second they step on campus, yet it remains a problem. Why would a student-athlete risk their eligibility and their freedom simply to make a little extra dough?

Is this a symptom of a larger cultural shift where athletes feel immune to the consequences of their actions? I'm guessing (just about right now) Manny Ramirez is second-guessing if it was worth a little juice to make a few millions.

In the end, betting you'll never get caught is a gamble not worth taking.

Check out this multi-media feature for more information on the NCAA's stance on sports wagering.