Heat's Terry Rozier Under Investigation In Sports Betting Probe After Odd Game Circumstance
Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life from the NBA in 2024 after an investigation revealed that he violated the league's gambling policy. The same federal investigation into sports gambling has reportedly uncovered suspect activity involving Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.
While Porter, who was reportedly in gambling debt, being banned and criminally charged for his alleged betting habits made major headlines, Rozier is a far more high-profile player. Porter played in just 27 NBA games during his career while Rozier is a former first-round draft pick who is averaging more than 28 minutes per game for the Heat this season.
According to the Wall Street Journal, authorities believe some of the individuals who arranged for Porter to fix his performance in two specific games during the 2024 NBA season had inside information that prompted the same people to bet large sums of money against Rozier during the 2023 campaign.
"The emergence of suspicious betting activity on another NBA game demonstrates that the scheme that resulted in Porter’s expulsion—and the government’s investigation—is more expansive than was previously known," WSJ's report explains.
Rozier, 30, has not been charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing, although the WSJ's story will unofficially check that box. NBA spokesman Mike Bass told the outlet that the league was alerted of unusual betting activity related to Rozier in March 2023.
"In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier’s performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans," Bass said. "The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation."
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) shot the basketball over Portland Trail Blazers guard Dalano Banton (5) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
When the Porter gambling story initially broke, and certainly when he was officially banned by the NBA, many claimed that he probably isn't the only professional athlete making very dumb decisions involving gambling. However, it felt like the case had been closed, but this investigation brings to light the idea that more than one player may be involved.
The game that sounded the alarm, so to speak, took place on March 23, 2023, when Rozier was a member of the Charlotte Hornets. The wagers made on Rozier were odd enough to raise suspicions at U.S. Integrity, a firm that works with sports entities, gambling operators, and government agencies to monitor betting markets for suspicious activity, according to WSJ.
Rozier started for the Hornets in the game against the New Orleans Pelicans. He was assumed healthy, and despite averaging 35 minutes and 21 points per game at that point, he played under 10 minutes, was substituted out during an early timeout, and did not return with a reported foot injury.
U.S. Integrity notified sportsbooks and the league offices about the unusual wagers coming in on Rozier failing to meet certain statistical benchmarks, such as the total number of points or rebounds he would record in the game. It reached the point where some of the sportsbooks stopped accepting bets on Rozier’s stats that day.
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