Three College Basketball Players Banned for Life for Betting on, Manipulating Their Own Games
The NCAA has permanently banned three former college basketball players from Fresno State and San Jose State after an investigation found they bet on their own games, coordinated wagers with each other, and intentionally underperformed to ensure certain bets were successful.
A Coordinated Scheme to Manipulate Prop Bets
The investigation involved three former student-athletes: Mykell Robinson and Jalen Weaver of Fresno State, and Steven Vasquez of San Jose State. The NCAA enforcement staff began its probe after being alerted by Fresno State and a sports betting integrity monitor about suspicious prop bets placed on Robinson.
The investigation uncovered a coordinated effort among the three players to profit from bets on their own and each other’s games. The scheme centered on prop bets, which are wagers on an individual player’s statistical performance.
According to the NCAA’s findings, in one instance, Robinson and Vasquez discussed a plan for Robinson to intentionally underperform in several statistical categories during a game. Robinson, Vasquez, and a third party then wagered a combined $2,200 on Robinson’s “under” props. Robinson did, in fact, underperform, resulting in a $15,950 payout that was shared among the bettors.
A Web of Interconnected Wagering
The investigation revealed a wider web of illicit betting activity.
- Robinson was found to have placed 13 daily fantasy sports prop bets on parlays that included his own performance.
- Robinson also placed multiple bets on his teammate, Weaver, after the two had exchanged information about their respective betting lines.
- Following that coordination, Weaver placed his own $50 prop bet on a parlay that included himself, Robinson, and a third student-athlete, a wager that won him $260.
The report also noted that two of the players, Robinson and Vasquez, failed to cooperate with the NCAA’s investigation.
The Aftermath: Permanent Ineligibility
The violations of the NCAA’s ethical conduct rules triggered an automatic and permanent loss of eligibility for all three players. While the Committee on Infractions does not directly assess penalties for student-athletes, it approved the findings of the investigation, which confirmed the violations occurred.
Under NCAA rules, student-athletes who bet on their own games are subject to a permanent loss of eligibility. The three players have all been released from their respective teams and are no longer enrolled at their former schools.
The case was resolved through a negotiated resolution with the players’ schools. Weaver participated in the process and agreed to the violation, while Robinson and Vasquez declined to participate. The incident serves as a stark and high-profile example of the integrity risks facing college athletics in the age of widespread legal sports betting and the growing popularity of player prop markets.
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