MIAMI — Federal prosecutors are currently investigating unusual betting activities linked to Terry Rozier, a former guard for the Charlotte Hornets, stemming from a game that occurred almost two years ago. This investigation is part of a broader inquiry that also led to the lifetime ban of Jontay Porter, a player for the Toronto Raptors, as confirmed by the NBA this Thursday.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Rozier, who is now a member of the Miami Heat, has not been accused of any wrongdoing nor charged with a crime in relation to this ongoing investigation. The NBA previously looked into this matter and found no violations of its rules at that time.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass stated that unusual betting activity concerning Rozier’s performance in a game held between the Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023, came to the league’s attention in March 2023. Following the report, the NBA conducted an investigation which concluded with no rule violations. However, the league acknowledged an ongoing probe by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and has been cooperating fully with their investigation.
The game on March 23 is significant in this inquiry as Rozier played for just 9 minutes and 36 seconds before he left the game with a foot injury and did not return. The Hornets were not in playoff contention at the time, and Rozier did not play again that season, which made his early exit appear more ordinary.
During the brief time Rozier was on the court, he managed five points, four rebounds, and two assists, performances that fell well short of his typical game totals. Bettors reacting on social media expressed anger towards sportsbooks when it became evident that Rozier wouldn’t be returning after the first quarter.
Frustrated bettors voiced their concerns about potential misconduct regarding Rozier’s prop bets, which are wagers on performance metrics of players. One bettor lamented over a nearly winning ticket that would have returned nearly $402 but ultimately failed because Rozier’s stats were below expectations. Another shared that they learned Rozier would leave early and managed to turn a modest wager into a small profit off the information they received.
Aside from Rozier’s case, some sportsbooks had initially set prop bets for his performance—expected to be around 21.5 points, six assists, and four rebounds—only to remove them the hours leading up to the game. This unexplained withdrawal raised eyebrows, particularly since Rozier was not mentioned on the injury report prior to the match.
Rozier, now 30, is in the midst of a four-year contract worth $96.3 million. The earlier ban of Jontay Porter also relates to issues surrounding prop bets, where insiders allegedly disclosed confidential information to bettors. Last April, the NBA banned Porter for life following findings that he had bet on games, including on his team to lose. Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Porter’s situation arose after unusual betting patterns concerning a game he participated in on March 20, 2024, were flagged by licensed betting operators. Evidence suggested that Porter provided a bettor with personal health information before the game and facilitated a substantial bet against his performance.
As for Rozier, the particulars of the bets linked to the investigation surrounding the Hornets-Pelicans game remain unclear. The ongoing investigations into both Rozier and Porter reflect increasing scrutiny on player-related betting activities in professional sports.
