Following a string of scandals, NCAA President Charlie Baker is urging lawmakers to ban prop betting in all college sports.
Prop betting is when a person bets on a specific aspect of a game, such as the number of 3-pointers a basketball player will throw, as opposed to a game’s overall outcome or spread.
“The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game — issues across the country these last several days show there is more work to be done,” Baker said in a statement.
Prop betting has made players the targets of harassment by angry betters, as missing a shot could swing a gambler’s winnings. Baker said the practice puts added pressure on student-athletes.
“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competitions and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed,” Baker said. “The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop betting.”
Prop betting on college sports is banned in 38 states.
Baker’s announcement comes just days after Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was put under investigation by the NBA for prop bet irregularities. Porter was one of the most bet-on players during a Jan. 26 game against the LA Clippers. Porter left the game after just four minutes with an injury, meaning all of his unders crashed.
Unusual betting patterns surrounding two Temple University games were flagged by gambling watchdog U.S. Integrity. In August, more than a dozen charges were filed against Iowa State University and University of Iowa student-athletes, who allegedly placed bets on games in which they competed.
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And an investigation by the NCAA revealed the former baseball head coach of the University of Alabama, Brad Bohannon, disclosed inside information about the team to a gambler, who placed a $15,000 bet against Bohannon’s team during a game last year. He has since been fired.
Baker, the former governor of Massachusetts, became NCAA president in March 2023.