Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from the NBA after violating league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors and placing bets on games, including betting on his own team to lose.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has made the decision to ban Porter, making him only the second person to receive such a punishment in the league’s history. The first was former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in 2014.
Porter’s actions were deemed as “blatant violations” of NBA gaming rules by Silver. An investigation was launched after licensed sports betting operators noticed unusual gambling patterns surrounding Porter’s performance in a game against Sacramento on March 20.
It was discovered that Porter had provided insider information about his health status before the game, leading to suspicious bets being placed. An $80,000 bet on Porter not meeting certain stats in the game was frozen, prompting the NBA to dig deeper.
Despite the shocking revelation, the Toronto Raptors expressed surprise at the news and fully support the league’s decision to ban Porter.
The investigation revealed that Porter, who is the brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., had placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using another person’s account, totaling $54,094 in wagers with net winnings of $21,965. These bets did not involve any games in which Porter played but included wagers on the Raptors to lose.
Porter, who was on a two-way contract with the Raptors and their G League affiliate, had an annual salary of around $410,000. ESPN first reported the investigation, highlighting Porter’s limited playing time in games where he did not meet prop-wager lines for points, rebounds, and assists.
The league’s probe is ongoing and may uncover further details, which will be shared with federal prosecutors. This incident has raised concerns about the regulatory framework surrounding sports betting on NBA games and its implications for players.
