Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
John Affleck, Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society, Penn State

How the explosion of prop betting threatens the integrity of pro sports

Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was one of 34 people arrested as part of a wide-ranging investigation into illegal gambling. Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

When I first heard about the arrests of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones in connection to federal investigations involving illegal gambling, I couldn’t help but think of a recent moment in my sports writing class.

I was showing my students a clip from an NFL game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs. Near the end of play, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw a perfect pass to receiver Brian Jones Jr. to secure a critical first down. Out of the blue, a student groaned and said that he’d lost US$50 on that throw.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.