- Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter is under investigation for irregular betting patterns on his prop bets.
- The 24-year-old center is currently on a two-way contract with the G League’s Toronto 905 and Raptors.
- The investigation will focus on Raptors games played from Jan. 26 to March 20.
Only days after the Shohei Ohtani gambling saga came to light in the media, another wild betting story is rocking the sports world.
According to ESPN’s David Purdum, Brian Windhorst, and Adrian Wojnarowski, the Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter, 24, is being investigated for irregular betting patterns on his prop bets.
The report indicates that suspicious prop bets were placed on Porter prop bets dating back to January. At least two games from Jan. 26 to March 20 are currently being examined by NBA investigators.
Unusual Porter Prop Bets Made in Clippers Game
The suspicious betting was initially discovered in a Jan. 26 game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Per the report, there was substantial gambling interest in Porter’s prop bets in the matchup.
The lines were set at roughly 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 three-pointers. After Porter left the game due to aggravation to an eye injury, the under won for all his bets.
ESPN sources claim that up to $20,000 has been wagered or at least attempted to be, on Porter under prop bets against the Clippers.
Porter ended the night with just three rebounds in four minutes and one assist before sitting down in the Clippers matchup.
Suspicious Prop Betting Resumes
On March 20, more irregular bets were identified on Porter’s prop wagers against the Sacramento Kings. The following day, DraftKings disclosed that Porter prop bets were the most profitable wagers placed by bettors the previous night.
Porter’s props were set at 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 rebounds. Similar to the suspicious incident on Jan. 26, the 24-year-old big man exited the game early with an apparent illness.
Speaking on the investigation into the unusual prop bets on Porter, Raptors’ head coach Darko Rajaković did not question his player’s injuries.
“I never doubt injuries. I never doubt honesty from players. Obviously, I’ve never had a situation like this before.”
After DraftKings discovered atypical betting patterns, the information was disclosed to the proper organizations. The NBA uses gambling watchdog company U.S. Integrity to monitor for unusual wagers being placed on their games.
U.S. Integrity is also responsible for watching collegiate athletics, which noted irregularities in Loyola Maryland and Temple games earlier this year.
Bench Player with the Raptors
The brother of Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. signed a two-way NBA contract in December 2023. The $415,000 contract allows Porter to play with the Raptors’ G League affiliate, the 905, and in the NBA with the Raptors.
Porter has primarily been used as a role player off the bench for the struggling 23-49 Raptors. He’s played in 26 games with an average of 13.8 minutes played per game. The native of Columbia, Missouri, is averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He made his NBA debut with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2020-21 and hadn’t played a league game until this season in Toronto.
Aside from Rajaković’s brief comment regarding the situation, the Raptors organization has been mum about the situation thus far. The NBA has implemented strict rules on players and team personnel wagering on games.
Per the NBA/NBPA’s collective bargaining agreement, punishment is at the discretion of the league commissioner, Adam Silver. The penalty “may include a fine, suspension, expulsion, and/or perpetual disqualification from further association with the Association or any of its members.”
If found guilty, Porter faces the possibility of being permanently banned from the NBA. The good news is that unless you’re an NBA player, nothing stops you from betting on the games! BetUS offers countless player props for all NBA games, so we encourage you to check them out.
