Photo Caption: Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier is among a number of NBA and MLB players named in gambling investigations. / Photo credit: Fox News.
Story by: Noah Overturf, Buzz Staff Writer
Recent indictments on professional athletes allegedly rigging games have affected students on the SAU campus. The indictments involve two Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis L. Ortiz, were are accused of helping gamblers win money by changing how they pitched during games.
The two players are now facing federal charges for allegedly collaborating with bettors to rig certain moments in games so people could win on “micro-bets,” which are bets on small, specific plays instead of the whole game.
One SAU student says, “I attended a couple of Cleveland games, and normally when I attend a game, I will throw a small little bet during the game.
“It went well for me throughout the game up until Clase came in. The way he was pitching was very unusual. Once it all came out that he was taking bribes to sell the game. It says lot.”
Overall, reports say gamblers made around $460,000, and the players received part of that money in return. Both are now being charged with fraud, bribery, and money-laundering. If convicted, they could face years in prison.
While this has shaken up and hurt both leagues by these players and personnel, it has also affected sports gamblers at SAU. Sports gambling is popular with the younger generation.
One SAU student said he lost money. “It explains a lot now. I was really into betting on baseball when they were in season because it is normally easy. When the Guardians were on their hot streak, I started to bet on them thinking this should be a hit for me.
“Come later when I check and see that they lost in the ninth inning, it really made me curious. How could a team blow so blow so many games? I cannot give an exact number, but I want to say I lost anywhere from $200-$300.”
This story has rocked Major League Baseball (MLB), especially since the league has become more connected to sports betting in recent years. In response, MLB quickly announced that it would limit how much people can bet on individual pitches.
Another SAU student says there is no excuse for cheating and has also lost money. “It horrible that these big-name guys do this. They are the ones making six to seven figures and we have them selling games to make more?
“Are we joking? It is a joke; there are ways they can make extra by doing good. None of this scandalous garbage. Did they really think no one would catch on? I mean come on, when you throw x number of balls and x amount in the dirt. Come on dude it is not that hard. I want to say confidently I lost anywhere from $500 to a grand.”
In the National Basketball Association (NBA,) there were also 30 people who got caught in gambling within the NBA. Out of those 30 there were two that stood out: NBA Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat Guard Terry Rozier. Both Rozier and Billups as well as the other 28 are being held in custody while investigation continues.
