5 takeaways from the NBA's ban of Jontay Porter for betting on games and helping known bettors
Jontay Porter is done in the NBA.
The NBA has banned Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter from the league for a violation of rules in regards to sports betting, the league announced Wednesday.
In a press release, the NBA said Porter disclosed confidential information to known sports bettors about his playing status, which they then used to wager on his prop bets. Porter also bet on NBA and G League games, which is prohibited for players.
The decision is the result of the NBA’s investigation into betting irregularities on Porter’s props, which was first reported in late March after sportsbooks noticed increased wagering on his props in games Porter left early due to health issues. Here’s everything we know about what Porter did and the league’s punishment.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/h2TIkaE7xs
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 17, 2024
Jontay Porter is done in the NBA
The first thing to understand here is Porter is done in the NBA. While the official release doesn’t put a time frame on the ban, it’s safe to assume it’s permanent. Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters last week Porter could face a lifetime ban if the accusations against him were confirmed. This is confirmation.
Porter bet on NBA games…
On Tuesday, it was reported Porter operated a FanDuel VIP account in Colorado which he used to bet millions of dollars, though not on the NBA. The league’s investigation found that while Porter didn’t bet on the NBA through his own account, he did place at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s online betting account.
The bets were placed between January and March 2024, all while he was traveling with either the Raptors or their G League affiliate, the Raptors 905. He bet a total of $54,094 and netted $21,965 in winnings.
…including for his own team to lose
While the league concluded that Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., didn’t bet on games in which he played himself, it did find that he bet on the Raptors on more than one occasion. Three of his bets were multi-game parlays that included the Raptors losing. All three bets lost.
Porter helped known bettors win
The league’s investigation confirmed initial speculation that Porter might have limited his own participation in games to ensure the unders on his prop bets would hit. Two games were at the center of initial reports, but NBA’s statement focused on the March 20 game against the Sacramento Kings which he played just three minutes before claiming he felt ill.
The league found that Porter disclosed confidential information about his health to one individual he knew to be an NBA bettor. And another one of his associates known to be a bettor placed an $80,000 parlay bet on Porter to underperform that would have won $1.1 million if the sportsbook didn’t flag and freeze the bet.
The NBA is sharing its findings with federal prosecutors
The NBA said the investigation is still open and may result in further findings. It’s sharing the information with federal prosecutors.