The question on the tips of many tongues in the aftermath of the NBA’s ban of Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter is whether anyone will notice that he no longer has a league let alone a team. Porter rode the bench for much of his NBA career.
The same argument over whether anyone notices he’s not on the team could probably explain why Porter felt his handful of infractions would slide by unnoticed as well.
He was wrong.
“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 violation of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN.
What earned Porter a lifetime ban?
- He disclosed confidential information to sports bettors
- He limited his own playing time as a result of prop bets
- He bet on NBA games
Porter averaged 3.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game during two seasons in the NBA, with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Raptors.
The league began investigating Porter in March on the heels of aberrant betting before two Raptors games involving over/under prop bets. Porter released info on his own health to a known bettor prior to a March 20 game against Sacramento. The bettor wagered $80,000 with DraftKings on a same-game parlay that focused on Porter’s unders.
Porter left the game citing illness after three minutes. The winning bet would have paid $1.1 million, but ecause of the question marks, the sportsbook suspended the bet.
The NBA investigation also showed Porter placed a minimum of 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online betting account. The bets totaled $54,094, and ranged from $15 to $22,000 per wager. The total payout topped $76,000 with net winnings exceeding $21,965. Three of the bets were parlays, none of which won, the NBA said.
Sportsbooks experienced a sharp jump in interest on the under prop bet on Porter before a January 26 game against the Clippers. Porter played four minutes, leaving due to the aftermath of an eye injury. He did not score, had three rebounds and an assist.
Silver said the Porter story proved that the transparency of legal betting helps identify suspicious 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,” Silver said in a press release. “Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”
