The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is investigating 13 former men's basketball players from six universities for potential sports betting violations.
The cases involve bets on their own teams, sharing insider information, intentionally influencing game outcomes and, in some cases, failing to cooperate with NCAA investigations.
The three men at the center of a recently resolved case, Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez, and Jalen Weaver, competed at Fresno State and San Jose State. The investigation revealed that Robinson and Vasquez bet on their own games and provided information to others to do the same.
During the 2023/24 season, text messages showed that Robinson was encouraged to underperform in a particular game. Robinson, Vasquez, and a third party were subsequently paid $15,950 from bets on this underperformance.
Additionally, Robinson placed 13 daily fantasy sports bets on himself during this period.
Vasquez and Robinson did not cooperate with the NCAA enforcement staff, while Weaver, who had received information on what to bet on, participated in the investigation and acknowledged the violation.
Because the NCAA Committee on Infractions does not impose fines on student-athletes, Robinson, Vasquez, and Weaver will not face any financial penalties. However, under NCAA rules, most players who bet on their own games risk losing their eligibility permanently.
The cases of Robinson, Vasquez, and Weaver were concluded on September 10, resulting in their release from their teams. Other ongoing investigations involve universities such as Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said: "The NCAA monitors over 22,000 contests every year and will continue to aggressively pursue competition integrity risks such as these. I am grateful for the NCAA enforcement team's relentless work and for the schools' cooperation in these matters."
"The rise of sports betting is creating more opportunities for athletes across sports to engage in this unacceptable behavior, and while legalized sports betting is here to stay, regulators and gaming companies can do more to reduce these integrity risks by eliminating prop bets and giving sports leagues a seat at the table when setting policies."
Almost a year ago, the NCAA had a similar case when Virginia Tech point guard Hysier Miller was dismissed from the Hokies' men's basketball team due to a gambling investigation related to point shaving.
He was accused of altering the final score of a game without changing which team won. Reports indicated that the investigation focused on Miller to determine whether he had bet on games in which he played and manipulated the outcomes.
At the time, the school stated that his dismissal was due to "circumstances before his enrollment at Virginia Tech."
In the NBA, Jontay Porter faced scrutiny over prop bet abnormalities before his dismissal from the Raptors. Proposition bets, or "prop bets," involve wagering on specific aspects of a game, such as the number of points, rebounds, or yards a player might achieve, rather than the overall outcome.
Several states, along with professional leagues like the NBA, have introduced restrictions to address the growing integrity risks associated with prop betting.
The NCAA monitors over 22,000 contests every year and will continue to aggressively pursue competition integrity risks such as these. I am grateful for the NCAA enforcement team's relentless work and for the schools' cooperation in these matters
In February, a tip prompted Fresno State and the NCAA to investigate the men's basketball team for potential sports gambling ties, resulting in two player suspensions and one dismissal
