Iowa St QB Dekkers accused of betting on Cyclones sports, charged with tampering in gambling probe
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers has been accused of gambling on Cyclones sports events, including a football game, and was charged Tuesday with tampering with records related to an Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling.
The criminal complaint said Dekkers placed 366 online bets worth more than $2,799. According to documents, those bets included 26 Iowa State athletic events and a 2021 football game with Oklahoma State when Dekkers was a backup. He did not play in the game.
The Des Moines Register was first to report the charge against Dekkers.
There were three other current or former Iowa State athletes facing the same charge, according to Iowa state online court records. Those included former Cyclones defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, who was drafted by Denver in 2022 and was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for betting on Broncos games during his rookie season.
“We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time,” Iowa State senior associate athletic director Nick Joos said in a statement.
Documents said Dekkers participated in a scheme with his parents, Scott Dekkers and Jami Dekkers, to conceal his online gambling and made it appear that bets placed by Hunter Dekkers were made by Jami Dekkers.
The 22-year-old Dekkers started all 12 of Iowa State’s games last season. He could face loss of eligibility under NCAA guidelines against athletes from wagering on their own games or other sports at their own schools.
Three other current and former Iowa State athletes were also charged with tampering of records connected to the investigation, according to state online records.
Offensive lineman Dodge Sauser and Iowa State wrestler Paniro Johnson were also charged with tampering with records in the investigation.
Sauser made approximately 113 online bets worth $3,075 with 12 wagers on Iowa State football games, including those with Ohio, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, according to records.
Johnson, who won a Big 12 wrestling title last year as a freshman, is alleged to have placed about 1,283 bets online worth more than $45,600, according to the complaint. There were approximately 25 bets on Iowa State athletic events.
The complaint against Uwazurike alleges he made 801 bets online for more than $21,300, with four wagers on Iowa State football games.
All four are set to appear in court on Aug. 16. There was no attorney for Dekkers or the others listed on the complaints.
Gambling in college athletics has come back to the forefront after Alabama’s baseball coach, Brian Bohannon and two Cincinnati baseball staffers were let go due to their connection to gambling investigations.
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