Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter (34) Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

NBA hands Raptors forward a lifetime ban for his part in betting scandal

By Michael Carpenter | Last updated 4/18/24

Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating the league's gaming rules, the league announced Wednesday.

After an investigation, it was found that Porter disclosed confidential information about his own health to an individual he knew had bet on the NBA, per the league.

That bettor then placed an $80,000 bet on Porter to underperform in a March 20 game. The payout would have been $1.1M.

Porter only played three minutes in that game before claiming he felt ill.

The bet was flagged by a licensed sports betting operator and an organization that monitors legal betting markets due to the $80,000 bet size.

The bet was frozen and not paid out.

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/h2TIkaE7xs
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 17, 2024

Not only was he allegedly given inside information, but Porter was also found to have placed 13 bets on NBA games using an associate account from January through March 2024.

He did this while being a traveling member of the Raports and their G-League Affiliate Raptors 905.

He made a total wager of $54,094 on the 13 bets, and his net winnings were $21,965.

While none of the bets involved games that he played in, three of the bets were multi-game parlays that included the Raports to lose.

All three of those bets lost.

"There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams, and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Porter's blatant violations are being met with the most severe punishment," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver. "Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game."

With sports betting so heavily integrated into sports now, it will be interesting to see if any more cases arise or if the example set on Porter will deter it from happening in the future.

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