The NBA has been rocked by scandal as Jontay Porter, a two-way player recently under contract with the Toronto Raptors, has been banned from the league for violating rules related to sports betting. The league’s investigation found that Porter disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, limited his own participation in games for betting purposes, and placed bets on NBA games.
Prior to the Raptors’ March 20 game, Porter disclosed confidential information about his health status to an individual known to be an NBA bettor. This individual then placed an $80,000 bet on a parlay proposition wagering that Porter would underperform in the game. Porter played only three minutes in that game, claiming he felt ill, which led to the suspicious bet being frozen and not paid out.
In addition, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games from January through March 2024, totaling $54,094 in bets and resulting in net winnings of $21,965. Three of these bets were multi-game parlays that included one Raptors game, in which Porter bet that the Raptors would lose.
The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of NBA competition and stated that Porter’s violations of gaming rules are being met with severe punishment. The league will continue to work with stakeholders to safeguard the league and game from similar incidents in the future. The investigation remains open and may result in further findings, with information being shared with federal prosecutors.