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Former Toronto Raptors big man Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA for his involvement in sports gambling in April, but more details behind his involvement in gambling are starting to emerge.
In April, the NBA handed the lifetime ban on Porter after an investigation found that Porter leaked confidential information to an individual he knew as an NBA bettor, then later underperformed to influence the outcome of a parlay bet placed by a separate individual.
The league also discovered that at least 13 bets were placed by Porter through an associate's online betting account between January and March in games in which Porter did not play.
Jontay Porter participated in “prop bets” to clear gambling debts
On Monday, Long Phi Pham, a 38-year-old man, was arrested while attempting to depart from John F. Kennedy Airport to Australia, according to the New York Post. Pham is accused of colluding with Jontay Porter on placing “prop bets” on sports gambling websites linked to a player's statistical performance, particularly on a January 26 Raptors game.
The report noted that federal prosecutors alleged that Porter amassed large gambling debts to his co-conspirators, and he was pushed to clear the debt by influencing the outcomes to hit certain bets.
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In the case involving Pham, he allegedly said he would take himself out early from a January 26 Raptors game and claim he was injured. Three other individuals connected with Porter, aside from Pham, remain at large.
The issue involving Porter centers around prop bets made for games played on January 26 and March 20, according to ESPN. When the Raptors played the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 26, there was increased betting interest on the under for all of Porter's prop bets. After Porter only played in four minutes, DraftKings Sportsbook reported the following day that the “under” for Porter's three-pointer prop bet was the biggest money-winner for bettors of any NBA props from games that evening.
NBA vigilant over sports betting-related cases
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sent a strongly-worded statement regarding the matter after dropping the ban hammer on former Raptors Jontay Porter, saying the league will work to keep the integrity of the game amid the scandal surrounding sports gambling.
“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 met with the more severe punishment,” commissioner Adam Silver said in the league's press release. “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.”
