NBA Places Lifetime Ban on Raptors Jontay Porter Over Gambling Violations
In a world of Draft Kings, BetMGM, FanDuel and SportsBook. Another athlete falls at the hands of placing bets. The National Basketball Association announced that the NBA will place a lifetime ban on the Raptors Jontay Porter over gambling violations.
Porter is not the first name or athlete to pop up this year over betting. However, after an investigation, the league felt that it is best for the integrity of the sport of professional basketball; if they part ways with Porter for good.
NBA Insider and ESPN reporter, Adrian Wojnarowski has been all over this story from the jump. He reveals,
“NBA has leveled a lifetime ban on Jontay Porter for gambling. Most damning for Porter and the NBA itself: He bet the Raptors to lose, according to league’s investigation.
Per league statement: The league’s investigation found that prior to the Raptors’ March 20 game, Porter disclosed confidential information about his own health status to an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor. Another individual with whom Porter associated and knew to be an NBA bettor subsequently placed an $80,000 parlay proposition bet with an online sports book, to win $1.1 million, wagering that Porter would underperform in the March 20 game.
Per NBA: In addition, from January through March 2024, while traveling with the Raptors or Raptors 905, the Raptors’ NBA G League affiliate, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online betting account. These bets ranged in size from $15 to $22,000, for a total of $54,094. The total payout from these bets was $76,059, resulting in net winnings of $21,965. None of the bets involved any game in which Porter played.”
NBA Places Lifetime Ban on Raptors Jontay Porter Over Gambling Violations
It is becoming clear that sports industries are beginning to struggle to keep betting from seeping into athlete’s activities. Betting has always been around. However, will there ever come a time when it is allowed by those watching games; and by those actively participating in them? With the NBA’s ban on Porter and MLB holding strong against Rose; the answer thus far seems to still be an iron fist “no.”
However, although sports betting is widespread. Porter’s case is way different. The league has cause to believe his bets involving team losses coincides with his performance on the court.
Possibly throwing a game or leveraging health status is taking things to another level. A level which will start affecting the audience experience. No one wants to think about a player or franchise not playing well; or utilizing “injuries” in order to gain thousands of dollars.
The smoking gun is within the NBA’s statement:
“The league’s investigation also found that Porter limited his own game participation to influence the outcome of one or more bets on his performance in at least one Raptors game. In the March 20 game, Porter played only three minutes, claiming that he felt ill. Due to the unusual betting activity and actions of the player, the $80,000 proposition bet was frozen and was not paid out.
The suspicious bets involving Porter’s performance in the Raptors’ March 20 game were brought to the NBA’s attention by licensed sports betting operators and an organization that monitors legal betting markets.
These findings are based on the information available to league investigators at this time. The league’s investigation remains open and may result in further findings. The NBA has shared and will continue to share information with federal prosecutors about this matter.”
Jontay Porter Receives Lifetime NBA Ban
Nevertheless, NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, maintains that the lifetime ban over Jontay Porter’s actions is for the safety and protection of the league. Silver states,
“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.”
Interesting. However, one positive… is that all the rules, procedures and regulations in place are working. Online sports betting were able to catch and stop a bet; after observing the behavior of a player. Therefore, in the future the outcome of games will seemingly continue to have a fair outcome; without betting influencing anything. Now… if we can just fix umpiring and ref calls.
**Want Even More Sports, News, Hot Takes, Stats as well as Athlete Celebrity Sighting Updates; Insights as well as Trends? Well, be sure to join all of us Sports Feens over on Youtube to get an additional sports fix; and also don’t forget to check out all of our new Podcast topics and episodes. Plus, get fast highlights and trivia daily by following us on TikTok. Just Click HERE**
Thoughts on NBA Places Lifetime Ban on Raptors Jontay Porter Over Gambling Violations!? Well let’s connect then you Feen! We are always around on social media posting as well as chatting away; and we would love to hear some POV from you. Therefore, join the discussion and talk all things Sports Feen; athletics as well as breaking industry news related with us by dropping a comment or two. Get into our comment section on YT; or also hit us up on our TikTok page or tweet us @SportsFeen.
