Jontay Porter under investigation
Toronto Raptors star Jontay Porter is allegedly being investigated by the NBA due to betting irregularities surrounding games involving the forward. ESPN broke the story, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Suspicious Prop Betting Patterns
Sources in the NBA reported to ESPN that the issues arose following two games involving the player, on January 26th and March 20th. In both games, Porter was the subject of an increased number of bets placed on prop markets.
The game on January 26th saw the Raptors take on the LA Clippers. Three under-markets had suspicious outcomes involving the player. They were set at around 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists. An over/under for Porter’s made 3 points was set at 0.5.
During the game, Porter only played four minutes before leaving the court due to an aggravated injury. He failed to score but got three rebounds and one assist without attempting a 3. This meant all underbets came in.
Suspicion was raised the following day when DraftKings, one of the US’s biggest sportsbooks, revealed that Porter under markets were the most popular that night. Another unnamed sportsbook had also noted suspicious betting trends around Porter’s performances. They also noted increased demand for the markets, with more punters requesting odds than usual.
The second game in question was on March 20th against the Sacramento Kings. Porter left the court after three minutes due to illness. He failed to score, having one shot and two rebounds. This again saw under-markets come in, being placed at around 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Further Investigation
The NBA and the Raptors are yet to comment on the situation. Industry insiders suggest that the league will want to set an example with Porter if he is found to have been involved with any suspicious activities.
The sports betting market is still in its infancy in America, and crossover and sponsorship deals with sportsbooks are a new occurrence for fans. The NBA will want to avoid any questioning about the integrity of the sport while also avoiding too much scrutiny over the increased impact sportsbooks are having.
