In a startling revelation that underscores the sensitivity around professional athletes and gambling, it has come to light that Jontay Porter managed a high-volume betting spree comprising over 1,000 bets between 2021 and 2023. A close source familiar with the matter divulged to Sports Handle that Porter was indeed a valued VIP customer on FanDuel, a popular betting platform. The source also disclosed that FanDuel’s VIP circle includes approximately 10-20 professional athletes, but emphasized that none of them have ever placed bets on their respective sports.
Porter, who is under investigation for his betting activities, was reported to have placed bets amounting to millions of dollars through his FanDuel VIP account. A significant update emerged on March 25 when ESPN published a report regarding an NBA investigation into questionable prop bets directly involving Porter, after which he did not take the court for the Toronto Raptors for the rest of the season.
In a stern response to the evolving situation, NBA commissioner Adam Silver reiterated the gravity of an NBA player betting on their sport. He condemned such actions as a “cardinal sin” and stated unequivocally that if Porter were found guilty of betting on his own sport, the consequence would be a permanent ban from the league. Current NBA policies strictly prohibit players from engaging in any form of betting related to the league, encompassing the G-League and the WNBA as well.
However, players retain the freedom to participate in wagering activities provided they do so within jurisdictions where gambling is sanctioned. Single-event sports betting ushered into the Ontario scene, where the Raptors are based, on April 4, 2022, and in Colorado, where Porter reportedly maintained his VIP account, on May 1, 2020.
Recently, the Colorado gaming regulators have issued a directive compelling all betting operators to report any wagers by Porter on NBA games. This move reflects a growing trend of vigilance and regulatory oversight in the industry since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned by the US Supreme Court in 2018, and Ontario welcomed legal gambling in 2022. Within the four major North American pro sports leagues, this has led to the suspension of 11 players—with 10 from the NFL and one from the NHL.
Unraveling the specifics, the NBA initiated its probe into Porter after DraftKings flagged that his Under for 3-point shots (0.5) on January 26 was the leading moneymaker prop bet of that evening for its bettors. Porter, however, played only four minutes in the said game before exiting due to an eye injury. DraftKings later highlighted, two months after that incident, that wagers involving Porter yet again turned out to be top earners when he left a March 20 game after playing three minutes.
One cannot overlook the familial tie in this narrative, as Michael Porter Jr., Jontay Porter’s brother, currently plays for the Denver Nuggets. Before his tenure with the Raptors, Jontay Porter went undrafted out of Missouri in 2019 and played for three G-League teams.
This ongoing saga serves as a stark reminder of how closely intertwined sports and the gambling industry are becoming and the dire repercussions for those who falter under the regulations in place. The NBA’s stance is clear: the sanctity of the game trumps all, and violations of trust and policy will be met with swift and decisive action.
