This week’s easily awarded Claude Rains Award goes to the federal government for busting up sports gambling in the NBA that’s intertwined with the Mafia.
In case you’re not up to snuff, Claude Rains played the character in the movie Casablanca who was “shocked” to discover gambling going on at that movie’s famous nightclub. If you’re not up on that film, then I guess you’d might be shocked that there is illegal gambling in sports involving players.
Several NBA big names are involved. According to news reports so far current Miami Heat player Terry Rozier apparently was involved in a what amounts to a points shaving scheme letting sources know that he would take himself out of a game early so bettors could bet the under on the points he would score. Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups is accused of being involved in rigged poker games, serving as a “celebrity” piece of bait to lure others to the underground games. Some of those games used some impressive technology, including an X-Ray table to cheat the suckers.
I’ve survived several vices in my life. Gambling was one I never got hooked on. Not because I’ve always known that illegal gambling was synonymous with most sports, but because I was never good at it. If I’m surprised by any of this it’s that there is actually a bust of such a wide ranging gambling operation in this current environment. Folks in the know, know. And they’ve known long before legalized sports gambling became as ubiquitous as hot dog and beer vendors at baseball games in stadiums that now house sports books on site.
As an example of that, take a look at Mike Florio’s book Big Shield, about sports gambling, mostly in the NFL, but also touching on the NBA. (FYI I don’t do affiliate links.) Parts of what we know about this current bust sounds like they are lifted right from the plot of the book.
It will be interesting to see how the NBA handles this because I’m betting the two names unveiled this morning aren’t the only athletes involved. It will also be interesting to see how the other pro and college leagues responds. There’s big money to be made on sports gambling, especially if you’re inside the scam.
You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above.
Life on the Wicked Stage: Act 3 