When the Supreme Court struck down a federal law that effectively banned commercial sports betting in most states, the floodgates opened. Within five years of the landmark 2018 ruling, teams, athletes, and multiple sports leagues across the country were endorsing legal sports gambling operators.
And while the leagues’ anti-gambling laws remained strict for its own personnel, the opportunities for anyone to cross that line had exploded.
That includes umpires.
Against this backdrop, perhaps it was just a matter of time until the latest instance of sports gambling run amok was revealed: a major league umpire, Pat Hoberg, is now facing discipline for violating MLB’s gambling rules.
MLB has disciplined umpire Pat Hoberg for violating the league’s gambling rules. While the specific nature of the discipline Is unknown, Hoberg has denied betting on baseball, sources tell ESPN, and is appealing the ruling, which @Ken_Rosenthal and @EvanDrellich first reported. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 14, 2024
The Athletic, which first reported the news Friday afternoon, notes that Hoberg is appealing the decision. The 37-year-old umpire has been conspicuously absent from any on-field assignments this season.
MLB Investigating Umpire for Violating Gambling Rules: Reports
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