Plenty of “Why” Questions from the NBA Gambling Scandal - Including One that Will be Overlooked

Nothing but a lot of “why” questions come to mind after yesterday’s news out of the NBA that Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier were arrested for their involvement in illegal gambling schemes with ties to the mob, according to ESPN and many other outlets.

I want to be clear that I’ve heard only bits and pieces of the story last night. But according to ESPN, Rozier “is accused of participating in an illegal sports betting scheme using insider NBA information. As part of the scheme, gamblers used nonpublic information to bet on at least seven NBA games between March 2023 and March 2024 involving the Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors, according to the indictment. In three of the seven games, players intentionally removed themselves from contests to benefit the gamblers’ bets, according to the indictment.”

Billups is apparently not part of the insider information scheme, instead he “is charged in a separate indictment alleging a wide-ranging scheme to rig underground poker games that were backed by Mafia families, authorities said. The defendants are accused of using technology to steal millions from victims in the New York area.” That is also from ESPN.

The obvious question is, why would these guys allegedly get involved with this type of thing?

Billups had a playing career that put him in the basketball Hall of Fame. He is (technically, I assume, he still is) the head coach of the Portland Trailblazers.

Rozier has played 10 seasons in the NBA and had better statistics than I would have thought.

These guys needed the money? Come on.

I get it. There’s plenty of possibilities as to why they allegedly got involved that I imagine will come out soon. Yet, it seems like enough is never enough. People always want more money.

But I think there’s one “why” that will get overlooked – why are so many props available on backup players? For example, tonight in the Bucks - Raptors game, there’s a prop on how many points A.J. Green scores. Ever heard of A.J. Green? I doubt it. And I’m not trying to pick on the guy. I chose a random game and looked at the last name on the list for “Player Points.”

My point is that there’s no reason to have prop bets on the fourth or fifth guy off the bench in a frikkin’ NBA game. Somebody is just asking for trouble with that garbage. No one is going to a sportsbook or opening a gambling app to bet those types of players. Gamblers who would bet on Green are going to bet that same money on something if the Green prop isn’t available. Sportsbooks don’t need those bets. I don’t know if leagues can regulate that BS – they should have some say with sportsbooks they partner with – or if the government has the ability to do so.

I’m guessing there will be plenty more to come with this story and others like it.