On Thursday, October 23, FBI Director Kash Patel delivered a statement announcing that over 30 people had been arrested following a year-long investigation into an illegal sports gambling ring. The investigation concluded that tens of millions of dollars had been illegally gambled in 11 states over the course of multiple years. The technologically sophisticated scheme involved rigged poker games backed by members and associates of four New York-based organized crime families: the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese families.
Among the many notable arrests were Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach and Pistons legend Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier. Both have been indicted on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each count has a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Both have been placed on leave from their respective teams. Rozier has already posted his $ 6,000,000 bail.
This is far from the first time a professional athlete has been caught illegally gambling. Pete Rose, the all-time MLB hits leader, was banned from baseball for life for betting on games, including his own. It wasn’t until 2004, fifteen years later, that Rose finally admitted to betting on baseball in his autobiography My Prison Without Bars.
There have been numerous instances of this in the NFL as well. Falcons star wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season after it came out that he had bet on his own games. Ridley later confessed that he had only gambled about $1,500 on mobile apps while he was away from football due to an injury.
Patriots up-and-coming wide receiver Kayshon Boutte might be the most severe case. While he was a college football player at LSU, he placed over 8,000 bets on a fake online betting account. At the time, he was underage, so Boutte was charged with computer fraud and gambling by a minor.
These cases highlight how sports gambling continues to blur the line between competition and corruption. From legends like Pete Rose and Chauncey Billups to modern players such as Calvin Ridley, Kayshon Boutte, and Terry Rozier, the attraction of betting has proven to be a recurring issue that damages both reputations and the integrity of the game. With more states legalizing sports betting, the temptation for athletes and coaches grows even stronger, making it crucial for leagues to enforce strict rules and education programs.
