Raptors Player Jontay Porter Is Under Investigation For Gambling: Scandal Explained

The NBA is looking into Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter, according to an ESPN report on Monday. The investigation stems from anomalies with prop bets made using Porter’s statistics. The developing controversy is the most recent in a string of disputes involving sports betting that have surfaced recently.

Raptors Player Jontay Porter Is Under Investigation For Gambling: Scandal Explained

However, the Porter case has the potential to become one of the biggest sports betting scandals since legalization started to spread in 2018, pending the investigation’s findings.

ESPN reports that the NBA is looking into the fairness of the games in which Porter took part. It would be the first time since the sports gambling boom began six years ago if they can produce proof that he either placed bets against himself or was involved with someone who did.

The 24-year-old forward Jontay Porter attended the University of Missouri during his college career. Michael Porter Jr., a standout with the Denver Nuggets, is his brother. Despite being a highly anticipated high school talent, Porter was not selected in the 2019 draft, mostly because of injuries. He had an ACL and MCL tear in 2018, then during his recovery in 2019, he suffered another ACL tear.

Along with three G-League teams—the Wisconsin Herd, Motor City Cruise, and Raptors 905—he has also played with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Raptors inked him to a $415,000 two-way deal in December. This season, he has appeared in 26 games with the Raptors, averaging 13.8 minutes and 4.4 points.

According to numerous sources, the problem at hand includes “prop bets involving Porter from games on Jan. 26 and March 20,” as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski, Brian Windhorst, and David Purdum of ESPN.

ESPN was informed by an NBA spokesperson that the league is “looking into it.”

For the past four seasons, Porter has alternated between the NBA and the G League. In2020–21, he made his NBA debut with the Grizzlies, appearing in 11 Memphis games.

He has played in 26 games with the Raptors this season and is now a member of their two-way contract. In 13.8 minutes of action per game, he is scoring 4.4 points on 38.5 percent shooting on average.

These injuries limited his growth, and as a professional, he’s been somewhat of a journeyman. Along with three G-League teams—the Wisconsin Herd, Motor City Cruise, and Raptors 905—he has also played with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Raptors inked him to a $415,000 two-way deal in December. This season, he has appeared in 26 games with the Raptors, averaging 13.8 minutes and 4.4 points.

Which video games are under investigation?

At the moment, Porter’s involvement in two games is the focus of the investigation:

The Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers played their first game on January 26. Porter played for four minutes and twenty-four seconds in the match. He finished with just one assist, three rebounds, and zero points while failing to make any 3-pointers. The Raptors said at the time that he left the game after that brief playing time because he had re-aggravated an eye ailment he had sustained in Toronto’s last game, a Jan. 22 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Porter’s reduced playing time resulted in him scoring zero points, pulling down three rebounds, and dishing out one assist without making a three-point shot. This implied that all of those prop bets were won by the UNDER.

Porter’s 3-pointers won the UNDER, which DraftKings Sportsbook said was the “biggest money winner for bettors of any NBA player props from games that evening.” The information was included in a daily report that the sportsbook gave out to users on betting outcomes.

The Raptors and Sacramento Kings played their second game on March 20. Porter was only allowed to play for two minutes and forty-three seconds. Once more, he left the game early; this time, the Raptors claimed he was unwell. Porter had just two rebounds in the end and finished without scoring or dishing out assists.

He did not return, and the Raptors claimed that his sickness was the reason for his dismissal. He pulled down two rebounds but did not score.

His over/under was set at 5.5 rebounds and 7.5 points by sportsbooks. Once more, Porter was included in both of those wagers when the UNDERs struck.

The next day, customers of DraftKings SportsBooks were informed that Porter’s prop bets had generated the most earnings in the NBA that evening.

Prop bets are often restricted to $1,000–2,000, however the precise amount will depend on the book, the bettor, and several other criteria. Prior to the Clippers game, many betting accounts tried to wager between $10,000 and $20,000 on Porter props, according to an ESPN source.

Porter or anybody else was not the target of any specific accusations in the ESPN investigation. For now, all we know is that the league is looking into Porter.

But given the nature of these betting patterns, we may presume that the investigation’s main goal is to ascertain if Porter made a deliberate effort to guarantee that his statistics fell short of those projected figures.

In December, Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets player Michael Porter Jr., agreed to a two-way deal with the Raptors. The Washington Wizards game on Saturday was postponed by him for “personal reasons,” according to the organization. For Monday’s matchup with the Nets, he was classified as out with the same injury.

It is forbidden for NBA players and any other league personnel to bet on league games in any way. In addition to other potential sanctions, fines, bans, and possibly contract terminations are the penalties for breaking the league’s gambling policy.

How much does Jontay Porter make?

On October 12, 2022, Jontay Porter inked a $1,836,090, one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. The deal has a $1,836,090 cap hit.

Is Jontay Porter related to Michael Porter?

In 26 games, including five starts, the 24-year-old Porter—brother of Denver player Michael Porter—is averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. In the 2020–21 season, the 6-foot–10 Porter participated in 11 games for Memphis.

Is Jontay Porter a rookie?

During his rookie season in 2020–21, Jontay Porter averaged 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.3 steals in 11 games.

 

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