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An NBA investigation found that Porter, a
two-way player recently under contract with the Raptors, limited
his own game participation to influence the outcome of one or
more bets on his performance in at least one Raptors game.
In a March 20 game, Porter played only three minutes, claiming
that he felt ill.
The investigation found that prior to that game Porter disclosed
confidential information about his own health status to an
individual he knew to be an NBA bettor.
Another individual with whom Porter associated and knew to be an
NBA bettor subsequently placed an $80,000 parlay proposition bet
with an online sports book, to win $1.1 million, wagering that
Porter would underperform in that game.
Due to the unusual betting activity and actions of the player,
the $80,000 proposition bet was frozen and was not paid out.
In addition, from January through March 2024, while travelling
with the Raptors or Raptors 905, the Raptors’ NBA G League
affiliate, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an
associate’s online betting account, the investigation found.
These bets ranged in size from $15 to $22,000, for a total of
$54,094.
"There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity
of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone
associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant
violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most
severe punishment," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a
statement.
"While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps
identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also
raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory
framework currently in place, including the types of bets
offered on our games and players."
The NBA said the investigation remains open and may result in
further findings.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Toby Davis)
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