Sports and gambling have once again intersected as San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano and Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter received lifetime bans for their involvement in betting scandals. Marcano placed 387 baseball bets worth over $150,000 with a legal sportsbook in 2022 and 2023, becoming the first active player in a century to receive a lifetime ban for gambling. This incident brings back memories of past scandals in sports, including the infamous “Black Sox Scandal” in 1920 and Pete Rose’s lifetime ban in 1989.
Other professional sports have also faced their share of betting scandals, such as the NHL suspensions of Babe Pratt and Billy Taylor in the 1940s and the NBA’s Tim Donaghy scandal in 2008. Even golf and rugby have not been immune, with players like Phil Mickelson and Rob Howley facing suspensions for gambling-related activities.
In the NFL, several players, including Hall of Famers like Paul Hornung and Alex Karras, have been suspended for gambling violations. Most recently, Atlanta receiver Calvin Ridley received a season-long suspension for gambling on NFL games while dealing with mental health concerns.
The issue extends beyond individual players, as evidenced by the case of Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, who was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers for his ties to an illegal bookmaker. Mizuhara later pled guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing from Ohtani’s bank account to cover his gambling debts.
These incidents serve as a reminder of the potential consequences of mixing sports and gambling, highlighting the need for strict regulations and monitoring to protect the integrity of professional sports.
Source
Photo credit apnews.com