Sources have told the Action Network that from 2021 to 2023, Jontay Porter, the center for the Toronto Raptors, ran a VIP account at FanDuel in Colorado. He placed bets totaling millions of dollars from this account.
A source reported that FanDuel didn't take any bets on NBA or college basketball from Porter. Porter's brother, Michael Porter Jr., is a key player for the Denver Nuggets, the 2023 NBA champions.
NBA investigation and betting activity
Reports suggest that Porter made over 1,000 bets at the sportsbook. A source even described him as constantly wagering. During this time, Porter played for three different NBA G League teams. As per a source, Porter seems to have stopped betting a few weeks before he signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors.
Reports in March indicated that the NBA was investigating basketball player Jontay Porter due to some strange betting activity tied to his performance. According to betting platform DraftKings, bets predicting Porter wouldn't perform well were the most profitable in two games this season.
Despite starting both games, Porter left early due to reported injuries or illnesses. Consequently, those who had bet that Porter wouldn't perform well made a profit.
Attempts to reach Jontay Porter's agent for comment were unsuccessful. Last week, Colorado gaming officials asked state sportsbooks to reveal any accounts that might belong to Jontay.
All Colorado operators received a directive stating they should conduct thorough assessments of all patron accounts to establish whether Jontay Porter holds an account with their sportsbook.
After the identification, they were instructed to examine any wagering activities by Mr. Porter on NBA-affiliated games. Importantly, the directive emphasized that any gambling activities by Mr. Porter on NBA-related games should be reported to the Division without delay.
Operators had until the end of business on Monday to turn in details about Porter's activities. The NBA strictly forbids players and employees from placing bets on the NBA or any linked properties, such as the summer league, the G League, or the WNBA. Although the rules don't explicitly ban betting on other sports, it's generally discouraged. The NBA has chosen not to comment on this matter at this time.
On January 26, during a match against the Clippers, bettors won big with bets on Porter's 'under.' At that time, DraftKings set Porter's over/under at 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 three-pointers. This allowed bettors to bet on whether Porter would achieve more or less of these stats.
DraftKings shared that the bet predicting Porter not scoring any 3-pointers was the day's most lucrative. Porter didn't attempt any 3-point shots and concluded the match with zero points, three recoveries, and one pass.
Porter only spent four minutes in the game before stepping out, citing lingering issues from an eye injury he had four days earlier. According to the sportsbook's rules, a bettor can only win if the player participates in the game. If Porter hadn't played, those betting on the game wouldn't have made any profit or suffered any losses, and their bets would have been paid back in full.
Porter had to leave early in a match against the Kings on March 20 because he was unwell. Like in January, Porter's under props were the best bets for the day, based on DraftKings data. Porter's points and rebounds for the game were set at 7.5 and 5.5, respectively, by the sportsbook, but he scored no points and only two rebounds.
As a high-roller, Porter enjoyed the usual benefits given to big bettors, like promotional deals and free sports event tickets, according to Action Network sources.
A representative from FanDuel chose not to make a statement, referring to the ongoing NBA investigation. Meanwhile, Porter ran a Discord account, where he offered advice on stocks, cryptocurrency, and occasionally, gambling, all for a monthly fee of $49.99.
Jontay Porter's career
Jontay Porter, a year younger than his highly successful brother Michael Porter Jr., was once a significant five-star high school basketball recruit. Yet, unlike his brother, who gained fame playing for the 2023 Nuggets championship team and got a five-year, $179 million contract, Jontay has struggled to make a mark in his professional basketball career.
Following a couple of serious injuries in 2018 and 2019, Jontay remained determined. He entered the 2019 NBA Draft but wasn't selected. In December, he signed a contract with the Raptors, earning over $400,000. However, his career is now on pause due to an NBA betting investigation.
