As the 2024-25 NBA season approaches, the league and its sportsbook partners have made a significant policy change, discontinuing “under” player proposition bets on its lowest-paid athletes. This decision follows the fallout from the Jontay Porter scandal, where the former Toronto Raptors player was banned for life after an investigation found he deliberately underperformed in exchange for payments from bettors who had wagered on him.
While the average NBA salary for the season is $11.9 million, minimum salaries range from $1.1 million for rookies to $3.3 million for veterans with over 10 years of experience. The league has reportedly defined “low salary” players as those on two-way or 10-day contracts. These contracts are typically for players who shuttle between the NBA and its G-League affiliates, as was the case with Porter when the betting scandal surfaced. Notably, regulated sportsbooks do not offer bets on G-League games.
NBA’s Focus on Preventing Manipulation
Since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the NBA has formed partnerships with several regulated sports betting companies. However, the Porter incident has highlighted the vulnerability of low-paid players to potential manipulation, prompting the league to take action.
NBA rules prohibit players, staff, and team employees from placing any bets on NBA, G-League, or WNBA games. Although players do not need to sign a specific document, these rules are embedded within their collective bargaining agreements. Violations can result in penalties ranging from fines and suspensions to permanent bans, as seen in Porter’s case.
Minimal Impact on Sportsbooks
Despite the new restrictions, this policy is unlikely to cause significant issues for sportsbooks. Prop bets on NBA players typically focus on well-known stars, with popular wagers involving “over/under” bets on points, assists, and rebounds. Furthermore, bettors tend to favor the “over” option, meaning that eliminating “under” bets on lesser-known, low-paid players is expected to have a negligible effect on overall betting activity.
Major sportsbook partners for the NBA include BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel.
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