A betting scandal in Major League Baseball has been uncovered, and it doesn’t involve baseball. Meanwhile, the National Basketball Association may be dealing with a betting scandal that does involve basketball. ESPN.com reports that the NBA is investigating Raptors forward Jontay Porter for betting irregularities in prop bets from games played on January 26 and March 20.
During the January 26 game against the Clippers, Porter left due to an eye injury, leading to increased betting on the under for his points, rebounds, assists, and three-pointer props, all of which hit the under. Similarly, during the March 20 game against the Kings, Porter left early due to illness, and the under hit on his various props.
Unnamed sources from sportsbooks have indicated that people were trying to bet on Porter’s props to hit the under, suggesting potential manipulation of the system. This has raised further suspicions about Porter’s involvement in these betting irregularities. However, it may be challenging for a single player to influence the outcome of a game; they can have a significant impact on their individual props, particularly the unders. This issue has been seen in other sports leagues such as NFL in 2023 when Falcons were fined for similar incident involving their running back.
The potential for widespread federal regulation of sports betting in both professional and college sports is growing with legalization of sports betting in many states. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining integrity of both games and bets placed.
In conclusion, while it may seem impossible for a single player to influence an entire game or skew odds in their favor through irregularities in prop bets
