Raptors' Jontay Porter Banished From NBA For Gambling
Raptors' Jontay Porter Banished From NBA For Gambling ... Bet His Team Would Lose
Jontay Porter has just been banned from the NBA for LIFE ... after league officials say the Toronto Raptors player not only bet on his own team to lose, but also manipulated his play to tip the scales in his favor!
Adam Silver just announced the historic punishment on Wednesday ... explaining league investigators discovered that in March, Porter took part in a gambling scheme that ultimately called into question the integrity of the NBA's competition.
They claim the 24-year-old gave confidential information about his health to at least one known bettor. They say another bettor Porter knew then placed an $80K wager that Porter "would underperform" in the Raptors' March 20 tilt with the Sacramento Kings.
The league said the bettor stood to make $1.1 MILLION if the wager hit.
NBA officials say Porter pulled himself from the contest early -- due to what he claimed was an illness. But, the league said that because of the "unusual betting activity" ... the bet was "frozen" and "not paid out."
The NBA's investigation found that Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors placed 13 bets:
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) April 17, 2024 @JoePompliano
• Smallest Bet: $15
• Largest Bet: $22,000
• Net Winnings: $21,965
Porter never bet on games he played but he did bet on the Raptors to lose.
The NBA has banned him for life. pic.twitter.com/WRJfDZZ3I0
Additionally, Silver revealed NBA investigators found that while Porter was playing for both the Raptors and their G-League affiliate from January through March, he made "at least 13 bets on NBA games."
Silver said Porter used an associate's online betting account to make the wagers, and scored over $20,000 in profits.
"None of the bets involved any game in which Porter played," the league said in a statement. "Three of the bets were multi-game parlay bets that included one Raptors game, in which Porter bet that the Raptors would lose. All three bets lost."
Most damning for Porter and the NBA itself: He bet the Raptors to lose, according to league’s investigation. https://t.co/6oKyi0Fhty
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2024 @wojespn
Silver and the NBA said they're in contact with the feds -- and have promised to continue to investigate Porter ... and turn over any future findings.
"There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport," Silver said, "which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment."
Porter -- who played his first NBA game in the 2020-21 season -- has logged minutes in 37 contests in his career. This season, he started five total games for Toronto, tallying 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per tilt.
