A suspected gambling ring, currently under federal scrutiny for its involvement in two NBA betting scandals, has also drawn attention for unusual betting activities related to at least three men’s college basketball teams this season, as reported by ESPN on Monday.
According to ESPN’s anonymous sources, sportsbook accounts linked to this gambling operation placed bets against Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State, and North Carolina A&T.
Recently, three players from North Carolina A&T were suspended indefinitely for “violating team rules.” However, it remains unclear whether this decision by men’s basketball coach Monté Ross is related to the ongoing gambling investigations.
ESPN further noted that some of the same sportsbook accounts also placed significant wagers on prop bets involving former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter during two games of the 2023-24 NBA season and then-Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier in 2023.
Porter has publicly admitted to altering his performance for gambling purposes, resulting in a lifetime ban from the NBA. Rozier, on the other hand, declined to comment on the reported investigation into unusual betting patterns concerning his performance.
Additionally, the sportsbook accounts associated with the gambling ring also placed wagers on a Temple game that was flagged for suspicious betting activity last March.
The NCAA has emphasized its commitment to protecting the well-being of student-athletes and maintaining the integrity of competitions. In a statement, the NCAA noted that it collaborates with integrity monitoring services, state regulators, and other stakeholders to conduct thorough investigations when suspicious reports arise. Due to confidentiality regulations, the NCAA refrains from commenting on ongoing or potential investigations.
The rise of legal sports betting has raised concerns about the added pressure on athletes and the potential for unethical behavior. In 2023, approximately two dozen athletes from Iowa State and Iowa faced criminal charges following a state investigation into illegal sports wagering. Some of these charges were later dismissed after investigators were found to have misused tracking software in Iowa State athletic facilities.
In a related incident that year, Alabama’s baseball coach was dismissed amid an investigation into suspicious betting linked to a game involving the Crimson Tide and LSU.
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