Iowa State QB Among Athletes Accused Of Betting On Own Games
The Iowa State football program received shocking news Tuesday on the team’s starting quarterback.
The Story County Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint against Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers, charging him with tampering with records related to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into sports gambling, according to the Des Moines Register.
The complaint alleged Dekkers placed 26 wagers on Iowa State sporting events, including the 2021 football game against Oklahoma State when he was a sophomore backup quarterback.
The Cyclones beat the Cowboys, 24-21, in a matchup where Brock Purdy threw 307 yards and two touchdowns and Breece Hall scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:29 left in the game. Iowa State was a 7-point favorite and the game’s total was 47 at Caesars Sportsbook.
He approximately made 366 mobile/online sports wagers on DraftKings totaling “over $2,799.”
Dekkers became a full-time starter in his junior year last season and faces permanent loss of eligibility under NCAA guidelines that prohibit athletes from wagering on their own games or other sports at their own schools.
Dekkers will not participate in Iowa State’s fall preseason camp practices in order to ‘focus on his studies and on the defense of this criminal charge,’ according to a statement released by his attorneys, per the Des Moines Register. Head coach Matt Campbell did not clarify Dekkers’ status on the team.
Two current and one former Iowa State athletes also are involved in the case. They are accused of tampering with records in an attempt to disguise their identities while placing sports wagers. All are accused of manipulating transactions to create the appearance their bets were placed by other people.
Dodge Sauser, a sophomore offensive lineman, is accused of placing 12 wagers on football games last year, including matchups against Ohio, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Those wagers totaled $3,075, according to the complaint.
It’s unknown if these bets were made against their own team, but that’s part of why the NFL is cracking down on gambling so that fans are not thinking about if players are throwing a game for a bet.