Raptors’ Jontay Porter Banned For Lifetime By NBA
The NBA has handed Toronto Raptors‘ Jontay Porter a lifetime ban for breaking the gambling policy of the league.
The NBA announced and provided an explanation for its decision in a statement on Wednesday.
“Porter broke the rules by giving over private information to sports bettors, restricting his own involvement in one or more games for gambling purposes, and placing bets on NBA games, according to a league investigation.”
Porter deliberately reduced his involvement in the Raptors’ game against the Sacramento Kings on March 20 in order to affect the result of one or more wagers on his performance, according to the findings of the NBA’s investigation. Raptors’ Jontay Porter stated he felt sick after playing just three minutes against the Nets.
Before the game, Porter gave “an individual he knew to be an NBA bettor” private information about his health. This was discovered by the NBA. As part of an $80,000 parlay the bettor placed with an internet sports book, another person connected to Porter also wagered that Porter would perform poorly on March 20.
Using a different person’s betting account, Porter wagered on at least 13 NBA games between January and March 2024 while traveling with the Raptors and their G League squad.
A total of $54,094 was wagered on these wagers, which varied from $15 to $22,000. Winnings from these wagers totaled $21,965 with a payout total of $76,059 overall. Porter placed bets on three separate parlay wagers, all of which included the Raptors losing, but none of which involved any games in which he participated. Three bets were lost.
The NBA started looking into Porter, 24, on March 25 due to inconsistencies in his betting, and he hasn’t played since. He wasn’t in the starting lineup for the Raptors’ game against the Brooklyn Nets that night, and he hasn’t been back since.
Adam Silver suggested, Raptors’ Jontay Porter might face a ban
Commissioner Adam Silver stated to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps on April 10, one week prior to the NBA announcing Porter’s suspension, that a ban was a possibility.
“Although he is accused of an awful crime in the NBA, I have a wide range of discipline options at my disposal. However, banning him from the game would be the most drastic measure. I am as powerful as that in this situation. Weighing in on our games is perhaps the most severe kind of gambling in this league. It is an active participation from the gamer. Consequently, the inquiry is still underway, but the repercussions can be dire.”
Adam Silver
A growing number of professional players are gambling on sports, and legal sports gambling has becoming more popular in the United States. For gambling during the last two years, the NFL has punished several players.
However, outright prohibitions are uncommon. Pete Rose, a former MLB player who was suspended for racing-related gambling, will now be associated with Porter.
