The NCAA has cleared the University of Cincinnati of wrongdoing in its handling of former quarterback Brendan Sorsby's prohibited sports betting, closing an inquiry that followed claims the school had known about his gambling activity.
The investigation began after Sorsby's agent, Ron Slavin, said Cincinnati had been aware of the quarterback's betting. NCAA enforcement staff later determined that a Level III violation applied to Sorsby rather than the university, its coaches or other athletes.
Cincinnati said its compliance department had informed Sorsby of NCAA wagering restrictions. An attempted UFC wager in August 2024 was also blocked after triggering an integrity monitoring system, leading to a compliance review and further education.
Court filings show Sorsby's wider wagering activity extended across his time at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech. He placed approximately 9,100 wagers totaling at least $90,000, including at least 165 bets worth $38,000 while at Cincinnati.
When individual parlay legs are counted, the Cincinnati figure was approximately 500 wagers.
The filings also state that Sorsby sent more than $60,000 to a friend for deposits into a shared FanDuel account. He placed three wagers on Cincinnati men's basketball and previously made at least 40 bets involving Indiana football while enrolled there, although none concerned games in which he played.
The case comes amid continued NCAA enforcement around betting integrity. Division I schools voted in November 2025 to rescind a proposed rule change that would have permitted betting on professional sports, leaving the existing prohibition in place across NCAA-sponsored sports.
Separate NCAA cases in 2026 have resulted in permanent ineligibility for athletes linked to wagering or game manipulation, including cases involving Alabama State, Fordham and Iona men's basketball. Those investigations have included athletes sharing information with bettors and alleged manipulation of competition outcomes.
Sorsby had been ruled permanently ineligible earlier in 2026. He later challenged the decision through litigation before withdrawing his case and declaring for an NFL supplemental draft that was not held. He is now preparing for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Cincinnati also has a separate federal lawsuit pending against Sorsby over his transfer to Texas Tech. The university alleges he breached an NIL agreement and owes $1m under a liquidated damages clause.
In May, the NCAA denied Sorsby's request for reinstatement after an investigation found evidence of thousands of wagers dating to 2022. He had also completed a gambling addiction treatment program and taken a leave of absence from Texas Tech during the eligibility proceedings.
NCAA rules continue to prohibit student-athletes from betting on sports in which the Association sponsors championships, including professional competition in those sports
