The Charlotte Hornets’ Terry Rozier, one of the league’s more productive guards, is now landing in the crosshairs of a federal gambling probe. This comes after a string of highly questionable bets made on his over/under during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. As a case in point, one bettor on March 23, 2023 placed 30 of these bets individually. They bet $13,759, every one of them betting that Rozier would do worse than expected. This strange wagering has spawned suspicion and investigation from regulators.
Within only 46 minutes, that single bettor had placed all 30 identical wagers to Rozier’s underperformance. Then the shoe dropped and things got weird. Rozier left the game a mere ten minutes into it, due to a reported foot injury. By the final buzzer, he had racked up 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Unfortunately, all of these numbers were below the betting lines set for his performance. This unlikely outcome led to a huge victory for the wagerer, who walked away with a payout of $13,017.70.
The snowball effect of the incidents led to dire effects at Harrah’s Gulf Coast. The casino tried to escape paying out on the winning tickets at first. They pointed to fears of possible “manipulation” and worries about “backroom deals.” On the same day as the game, U.S. Integrity issued a nationwide alert regarding “Suspicious Wagering Terry Rozier NBA Player Props,” indicating that multiple sportsbooks across several states had detected similar suspicious betting patterns.
Most of this betting action was focused in Louisiana and Mississippi. Rozier’s absence came as a surprise as he wasn’t listed on the Hornets’ pregame injury report. This absence only increases concerns about what type of wagers are being made.
James Washington, attorney for Terry Rozier, said his client is not a target of the investigation. In addition, the attorney added as the crowning point that Rozier has never been charged with any impropriety. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently investigating the matter federally. It includes former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who pled guilty to conspiracy charges last month.
Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, said that having one’s name associated with an investigation or considered the target of one is immensely damaging.
“It’s unfortunate that he’s a big name in sports and is having to endure all this,” – Jim Trusty
The probe has raised questions about the legitimacy of these bets. Those people betting on the Dolphins were able to do so because of insider information, right? For instance, a regulatory leader from the Mississippi Gaming Commission raised an incisive question on this topic.
“Has Caesars been able to come up with any evidence to support this being insider information?” – Mississippi Gaming Commission enforcement team leader
This ongoing inquiry is focusing attention on the most fundamental concerns around maintaining integrity in sports betting. That’s because it reveals some really disturbing cracks in our bet on player performance. The potential fallout for players and sportsbooks alike would be immense if any cheating is found.
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