Investigation into Former Raptors Center May Lead to Sportbook Changes

The investigation into former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter may lead to changes in what bets sportsbooks can offer moving forward

Mar 13, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter (34) / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Jontay Porter betting scandal may lead to some pretty significant sports betting changes in the not-too-distant future.

The NBA and its betting partners are reportedly discussing limiting which players will be made available to sports betters in prop bets and have discussed potentially removing “unders” from the betting menu, per ESPN's David Purdum.

Porter was banned by the league last month following an investigation by the NBA that found the former Toronto Raptors center revealed confidential medical information to a known sports better, limited his own performance to influence the outcome of at least one bet, and bet on basketball games while a member of the Raptors organization.  

The investigation began following a flurry of unusual sports betting activity on bets that predicted Porter would fail to meet certain statistical milestones. The league found that a sports better with whom Porter was associated with placed an $80,000 bet on Porter to underperform his expected statistics on March 20. Porter subsequently removed himself from the game.

Porter had been on a two-way contract with Toronto in which he was set to earn $415,000 this season.

The league is looking at restricting two-way players from being offered in prop bets, ESPN reported. This change would mean players like Porter would not be offered in any bets from sportsbooks.

The NBA has reportedly shared information from its investigation with federal prospectors, per ESPN.

Porter played in 26 games for Toronto this past season and made five starts for the organization in place of the injured Jakob Poeltl.