NCAA investigating 13 players at six schools in gambling probe

The NCAA announced Thursday it’s investigating sports betting violations against 13 college basketball players. 

The investigation involves players from Arizona State, Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley, New Orleans, North Carolina AT&T and Temple, although individuals’ names weren’t released. 

The players allegedly bet on or against their own team, shared information with others for sports betting purposes, manipulated scores or game outcomes and/or refused to participate in the probe, per a press release from the NCAA.

All 13 players are no longer enrolled at their respective schools. 

Neither the schools nor the staff are expected to be involved in the betting violations.

“The NCAA monitors over 22,000 contests every year and will continue to aggressively pursue competition integrity risks such as these,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said. “I am grateful for the NCAA enforcement team’s relentless work and for the schools’ cooperation in these matters. 

“The rise of sports betting is creating more opportunity for athletes across sports to engage in this unacceptable behavior, and while legalized sports betting is here to stay, regulators and gaming companies can do more to reduce these integrity risks by eliminating prop bets and giving sports leagues a seat at the table when setting policies.” 

The NCAA was tipped off by its “integrity monitoring program and network of sources” to unusual betting activities on college basketball games involving the schools. 

The body’s enforcement staff used “text messages, direct messages on social media platforms and other material evidence” to substantiate the violations. 

The investigation comes to light one day after three college basketball players — former San Jose State players Mykell Robinson and Steven Vasquez former Fresno State player Jalen Weaver — were banned by the NCAA for “sports-betting related game manipulation” scheme.