Sources: Jontay Porter Operated Betting Account, Wagered Millions Over Multiple Years, Now Banned from NBA

Chase Howell, Action Network

Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter owned and operated a VIP account at FanDuel in Colorado that wagered millions of dollars in total from 2021 to 2023, multiple sources with direct knowledge told the Action Network.

One of those sources said FanDuel did not accept any wagers on the NBA or college basketball from Porter, whose brother, Michael Porter Jr., is a pivotal member of the Denver Nuggets team that won the NBA championship in 2023.

Porter allegedly placed over 1,000 wagers at the sportsbook. “He was firing all of the time,” a source said.

On Wednesday, the NBA banned Jontay Porter for life. In a statement, the NBA said it found that Porter had disclosed “confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes.”

The league also found that while Porter was in the G League with the Raptors 905, he bet $54,094 on NBA games using an associate’s betting account, including three Toronto Raptors games.

“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver added in the NBA’s statement. “Which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment.”

Porter was a member of three different NBA G League teams during these alleged wagering activities. Porter’s FanDuel account activity ceased a few weeks before he signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, a source said.

ESPN reported in March that Jontay was under investigation by the NBA due to irregular betting activity on his prop bets. During two games earlier this season, wagers on Porter to underperform were the most profitable bets of the day, according to data from DraftKings. Porter played but left early in both games with reported ailments. Each time, anyone who bet the under on Porter’s props profited.

A request for comment made to Jontay Porter’s agent was not returned.

Last Thursday, Colorado gaming regulators requested sportsbooks in the state to report any accounts that Jontay may have operated.

“We are requesting that you review all patron accounts thoroughly to identify if Jontay Porter has ever had an account with your sportsbook,” the letter, sent to all Colorado operators, read. “If so, please review Mr. Porter’s account for wagering activities on NBA-affiliated games. Note that all wagering activities by Mr. Porter on NBA-affiliated games shall be reported to the Division immediately.”

The deadline for operators to submit Porter’s activity was the end of business on Monday.

The NBA bars wagers of any kind by its players or employees on the NBA or its affiliated properties, including summer league, the G League or the WNBA. Wagering on other sports is not explicitly prohibited. A spokesperson for the NBA declined to comment.

Jontay Porter is currently on leave from the Raptors pending the investigation.

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