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Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty / Jontay Porter
Jontay Porter f***ed around and found out. The now-former two-way player for the Toronto Raptors gambled his money and his NBA career away.
NBA.com dropped the news yesterday that Jontay Porter, brother of Denver Nuggets superstar Michael Porter Jr., has been slapped with a lifetime ban for violating the league’s gaming rules.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came down with the hammer on Porter after the league wrapped its investigation and discovering he “disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games,” the website reports.
Per NBA.com:
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.
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 not paid out.
Jontay Porter Bet On Himself & Lost Big Time
The bets Porter made that involved his performance in the Raptors’ March 20 game were brought to the league’s attention by licensed sports betting operators and an organization that monitors legal betting markets.
Bruh
The website notes that Porter placed 13 bets from January through March 2024 while traveling with the Raptors and Raptors 905, the Raptors’ G-League affiliate. None of the bets were made on games he played in.
Adam Silver Issues A Statement
“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.”
Welp.
Of course, social media has been lighting Porter’s a** up. There are also some wild takes, which you can see in the gallery below.
3. One way ticket out of here
4. L M A O
5. Hoooowwwllliiinnnggg
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Source: Xinhua News Agency / Getty
It looks like Jontay Porter might have to explain his performance on the court. The NBA is investigating him over gambling activity connected to his play.
The Score is reporting that the Toronto Raptors player is now at the center of a new probe being conducted by the National Basketball Association. According to ESPN the league has identified multiple betting irregularities over the last couple of months that are linked to him. Proposition bets, better known as prop bets, are wagers not tied to the final outcome or score of a game but outcomes within the game including will a certain player surpass the over under for points.
The occurrences specifically under questioning are two games. On January 26 against the Los Angeles Clippers his props were set to 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and assists. That outing he only played a little over four minutes before leaving due to a nagging eye injury. On March 20 against the Sacramento Kings he only played two minutes before excusing himself to an illness. That day he only put up two rebounds but his prop bets were set at 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. After those games DraftKings Sportsbook announced that Jontay Porter had produced the most winnings compared to the previous night.
“We have no comment on this story,” a DraftKings spokesman said in a statement to The Athletic. “In general, it is important to note that one of the many benefits of legal and regulated sports betting is that sports betting operators identify and report suspicious activity and the integrity of sport is therefore protected in a manner that does not exist in the illegal market.” The Toronto Raptors have declined to comment on the matter while an NBA spokesperson has told ESPN “We’re looking into it.”
Jontay Porter has not suited up for the Raptors in the last two games citing personal reasons. The NBA forbids players, officials and employees from making wagers on the league.
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Source: Jason Armond / Getty / Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is doubling down on being hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray by his interpreter in this ongoing and still developing gambling scandal.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ $700 million man, Shohei Ohtani, wants the world to know he did not bet on baseball or any other sport and that his translator, Ippei Mizuhara, lied and stole more than $4 million to cover his gambling debts.
Spotted on Yahoo! Sports, Ohtani finally broke his silence with a nearly 12-minute statement on the matter after Mizuhara was fired as his translator following accusations he stole money from the MLB superstar via wire transfers.
Per Yahoo! Sports:
“I am very saddened and shocked someone I trusted has done this,” Ohtani said through an interpreter at the beginning of his statement. He then denied being involved in sports gambling in any form.
“I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do that on my behalf,” he said. “And I have never been through a bookmaker to bet on sports. …
“Up until a couple days ago, I didn’t know that this was happening. … In conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.”
Ohtani also denied knowingly paying off any alleged gambling debts.
“To the representatives in my camp, Ippei told the media and representatives that I, on behalf of a friend, paid off debt,” he said. “Upon further questioning, it was revealed that it was actually in fact Ippei who was in debt and told my representatives that I was paying off those debts.
“All of this has been a complete lie.”
Shohei Ohtani Claims He Had No Idea About His Interpretrer’s Gambling Issues
Ohtani also claims that Mizhura was telling a big lie when he told the Dodgers organization that he was in communication with Ohtani about the incident.
The slugger/pitcher claims he first learned about his interpreter’s gambling issues during a team meeting after the Dodgers played the San Diego Padres in South Korea.
Ohtani claims he and Mizhura had a “one-on-one” meeting at their hotel.
“Up until that team meeting, I didn’t know that Ippei had a gambling addiction and was in debt,” Ohtani said. “Obviously, I never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker.”
“And it was revealed to me during that meeting, Ippei admitted he was sending money using my account to the bookmaker,” he said. “And at that moment, it was an absurd thing that was happening, and I contacted my representatives at that point.”
People Are Still Skeptical
Ohtani is adamant he did not bet on MLB or any sports, but many people are calling it a cap on the idea that he had no idea about the $4 million wire transfers.
ESPN First Take contributor and sports talk radio legend Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo does not buy what Ohtani is selling outright. On his show, he believes that Ohtani’s interpreter stole the money and that the Dodgers’ superstar is guilty of being a “good friend and some poor judgement.”
We are intrigued to see how this situation pans out. The MLB is currently investigating. Until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Very unserious
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