The Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter might be sitting in hot water for some recent unusual betting activity.
According to a joint report from ESPN’s David Purdum, Brian Windhorst, and Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA is investigating Porter for some “betting irregularities” over the last few months. Two specific games are in question. At the time of publishing, it is unclear how precisely Porter is implicated in the situation. The NBA did not offer more specific clarification.
Porter is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets’ 3-point shooter Michael Porter Jr. The brothers played together in college at Missouri from 2017-2018.
Here’s everything we know so far about the NBA’s investigation into Jontay Porter.
Which Raptors games are under particular scrutiny for their Porter connection?
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This inquiry into Porter involves two specific games, according to ESPN: A Friday, January 26 matchup against the LA Clippers and a March matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
During the Clippers’ game, there was “increased betting interest” on the under for all Porter props, including made 3-pointers. Porter played just four minutes after leaving with a reaggravated eye injury, with all of his under props having hit. The next day, DraftKings reported that Porter’s 3-pointer prop was the biggest NBA moneymaker for a prop from the previous evening’s action.
Against the Suns, Porter again left early after taking just one shot and getting two rebounds. Similarly, unspecified sportsbooks once more maintained that Porter’s prop bets for the Suns game were the top moneymaker for the previous night.
The investigation arising might come from one simple question: Who would bet on Jontay Porter?
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This is not asked tongue-in-cheek. Porter is a 24-year-old NBA sophomore who averages just more than 14 minutes a night on one of the league’s worst teams. For him to have two of the most successful props of the NBA regular season is noteworthy because… who is betting on him? He is a young player on a two-way contract trying to find his groove in spotty and limited minutes, not an established superstar who is expected to be the subject of many bets.
What is the NBA policy on sports betting?
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It’s pretty explicit.
According to CBS Sports, if you’re a league employee of any kind (player, coach, trainer, etc.), you are not allowed to bet on NBA games, which obviously includes prop bets. There is not a set standard for punishment, but violations are usually morphed with some combination of fines and suspensions. In the worst case, an employee can be fired outright, with their prohibited gambling serving as grounds for termination of their contract. This policy does not account for betting on other sports and leagues. There is no ban on that kind of activity, only on NBA events.
The NBA has dedicated personnel monitoring sports betting activity on each team, who monitor trends and anomalies accordingly. Right now, it is unclear what kind of consequences Porter might face depending on the result of the investigation.
