- NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, has banned Jontay Porter for life after an investigation revealed he wagered on NBA games.
- Porter gambled $54,094 on NBA games and profited $21,965.
- The former Toronto Raptor also bet on his own team to lose a game.
The NBA has permanently banned a player for violating the league’s gambling policy for the first time since 1954. Jontay Porter, 24, received a lifetime ban from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for betting on league matchups.
Last month, news broke that suspicious wagers were being placed on Porter prop bets in Raptors games. The investigation primarily stemmed from a game versus the Sacramento Kings on March 20.
As The Sports Geek reported in March, online sportsbook DraftKings alerted that irregular betting patterns were identified in the Raptors vs. Kings matchup. In particular, an overwhelming amount of money was being wagered on Porter’s Under prop bets, including for points, rebounds, assists, and three-pointers.
The investigation determined that Porter intentionally limited his playing time in the game so that the Under wagers would win. He ultimately played only three minutes after complaining of feeling ill. The 6-foot-11 center recorded just two rebounds and no points or assists.
Porter transmitted information regarding his health to help enrich another bettor. The $80,000 bet, which would have won $1.1 million, was flagged by the bookmaker. The Raptors suffered a 123-89 loss in the March 20 contest against the Kings. This was only one instance of Porter getting involved in gambling on Raptors games.
Over A Dozen Bets Placed Through Associate’s Account
The NBA uncovered that Porter used an associate’s account to discreetly place wagers. According to the league, he bet at least 13 times through his friend’s betting account.
Porter’s wagers totaled $54,094 for a profit of $21,965. The investigation discovered that the Raptor did not wager on any games that he played in.
However, there were instances where Porter bet on the Raptors to lose when he was out of the lineup. The 13 bets ranging from $15 to $22,000 were placed from January 2024 to March 2024, including the Raptors to lose on a parlay.
NBA investigators report that Porter was making his bets, while traveling with the Raptors and the Raptors 905, the team’s G League affiliate. The league notes that the investigation is ongoing, which may turn up new evidence in the future.
Silver was quick to denounce Porter’s actions:
There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment. While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players. Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.
In March, NCAA President, Charlie Baker, encouraged states to prohibit prop betting on collegiate athletes. Louisiana most recently banned player props on college games as a result.
NBA Sends Message To Rest of League
The NBA is being clear with Porter’s lifetime ban: Don’t think about doing it, or you could be without a job. As sports betting continues to improve in popularity, the major leagues realize that the integrity of games can be severely compromised by having easy access to betting apps.
Gambling scandals have made front-page headlines for two major sports leagues in less than a month. Dodgers’ superstar Shohei Ohtani was in the middle of an illegal gambling investigation involving his former interpreter.
The FBI and Major League Baseball cleared Ohtani of any wrongdoing, describing the star as a victim. Nevertheless, it wasn’t good PR for baseball.
College basketball programs Temple and Loyola (Md.) were the subject of a match-fixing controversy last month. Currently, there are no new findings since the initial investigation by the schools was announced.
Lifetime bans are a severe form of punishment, but it may be the only way to curtail the problem.
