There are certain scandals that can kill pro sports.
Now the NBA found itself in the middle of one.
And an NBA player got banned for life for this shocking infraction.
Toronto Raptors’ Jontay Porter banned for life for gambling on basketball
The popularity of pro sports depends on fans tuning in and buying tickets because fans believe the action is on the level.
If that gets compromised, then fans have no reason to buy in.
That’s why NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acted swiftly to ban second-year Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for life after an investigation found Porter bet on basketball.
“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 game rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” a statement from Silver announcing Porter’s ban read.
“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,” Silver continued. “Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”
A statement from the Raptors said the team was “fully supportive of the league’s decision to ban Jontay Porter from the NBA and are grateful for the swift resolution to this investigation. We will continue to cooperate with all ongoing inquiries.”
What the investigation found
NBA investigators found Porter won more than $21,000 gambling on NBA games.
Porter didn’t bet on any games his team played in.
“The league investigation revealed Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online betting account. The bets ranged from $15 to $22,000, totaling $54,094, according to the league. The NBA said the total payout from those bets was $76,059, net winnings of $21,965. None of the bets involved any in which Porter played. Three of the bets were parlays, including one that included a bet on the Raptors to lose. All three bets lost, according to the NBA,” ESPN reported.
However, the investigation began when online sports books noticed suspicious activity on bets involving totals for Porter’s combined points, rebounds, and assists.
Prior to a March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings, Porter revealed undisclosed information about his health that would limit him to three minutes allowing the bettor to wager that Porter would record fewer points, rebounds, and assists than the oddsmakers set the total at.
In another game where Porter took himself out after three minutes, someone wagered $80,000 – which would payout $1.1 million – on the under for Porter’s statistics in that game.
The NBA’s hypocrisy
The NBA set itself up for this debacle.
When the Supreme Court legalized sports gambling outside of Nevada, pro sports leagues saw wagering as a new golden goose that would provide a massive new revenue stream.
In 2021, the NBA signed deals with FanDuel and DraftKings to become the official sports books of the NBA.
“DraftKings and FanDuel are market leaders who have been incredible partners in engaging with the millions of NBA fans who enjoy fantasy and betting,” The NBA’s Senior Vice President, Head of Gaming & New Business Ventures Scott Kaufman-Ross declared. “DraftKings and FanDuel sit at the center of the continued convergence between media and sports betting, and, together, we are excited to bring these unique content experiences to our fans.”
The Jontay Porter fiasco was foreseeable from that moment.
But all the NBA cared about was the cash grab.
