The NBA has announced that it has banned Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter for violations of the league’s gambling policy, including tipping-off bettors as to his health status, removing himself from games to affect prop bets, and betting on NBA games.
In a statement detailing some of the league’s findings, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “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.”
As we previously reported, Jontay Porter was under investigation for irregular betting surrounding two games: January 26 against the Los Angeles Clippers and March 20 against the Sacramento Kings. It was the game against the Kings that the NBA addressed in its Wednesday announcement.
The league’s investigation found that Porter told a known NBA bettor about his health status prior to the game. That bettor, in turn, wagered $80,000 that Porter’s stats would come in under the prop totals offered by sportsbooks. Porter withdrew from the game after only three minutes, saying he was ill. Though the over/under on his numbers was modest, his stats easily came in way under because he barely played.
The bettor won $1.1 million, but because of the suspicions surrounding the bet, including its size (typical prop bet maximums at online books are $1,000-$2,000), the sportsbook froze it and never paid it out.
The NBA also found that from January through March of this year, while with the Raptors and its developmental league affiliate, Raptors 905, Porter bet on at least 13 NBA games. Three bets were multi-game parlays which included his team, and on his team to lose. Porter did not win any of the three parlay bets.
All told, Porter bet $54,094 on NBA games and profited $21,965.
In the league’s announcement of the ban, Silver added, “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.”
Last week, with suspicion of Porter’s gambling activity on the rise, the Colorado Division of Gaming told sportsbooks in the state to report if any accounts associated with Porter bet on NBA games. According to Action Network, Porter bet millions on a FanDuel VIP account in Colorado from 2021 to 2023, but FanDuel said it did not take any bets on NBA or college basketball.
