FBI agents pulled Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier from his Orlando hotel bed Thursday morning, part of a growing federal sports betting investigation. The unexpected arrest happened just after Miami lost to the Magic - a game where Rozier didn't play because of coaching decisions.
The FBI and Eastern District of New York will share details about multiple arrests at a 10 a.m. ET press conference. This case connects to a larger investigation into game fixing and illegal betting across the NBA.
Betting companies noticed suspicious patterns in Rozier's stats during a March 23, 2023 game between Charlotte and New Orleans. In just 46 minutes, one bettor placed 30 bets totaling $13,759, all betting Rozier would fall short of his targets in points, rebounds, and assists. Ten minutes into that game, Rozier left with a foot injury.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said to ESPN, "We're trying ... working with ... additional control[s] ... learning as we go ... working with [betting companies]."
This scandal connects to former Toronto center Jontay Porter's betting situation. Porter admitted to purposely underperforming in two games during the 2023-24 season. He'll face sentencing this December after pleading guilty to conspiracy.
Four people, including Porter, have accepted plea deals. Documents show two more might cooperate soon. The investigation keeps growing as officials look into unusual betting patterns and possible insider schemes.
The NBA asked sportsbooks to reduce their prop bet options on individual players. Officials have stepped up their monitoring while working with law enforcement to improve security.
Throughout 2023, Rozier's lawyer met multiple times with NBA and FBI teams. While the league's initial investigation found nothing wrong, today's arrest suggests federal agents discovered new evidence.
Since states began legalizing sports betting, Porter's case represents the NBA's first major gambling scandal. Now the league must reconsider its relationships with bookmakers and betting options.
