Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon, left, argues with umpire Joe Harris after being tossed from an NCAA college baseball game in the bottom of the second inning against LSU, Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La. Alabama is firing baseball coach Brad Bohannon after a report of suspicious bets involving his team, with the school saying he violated “the standards, duties and responsibilities expected of university employees.” The firing announced Thursday, May 4, came three days after a report warning of suspicious wagers prompted Ohio’s top gambling regulator to bar licensed sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on Alabama baseball games. (Michael Johnson/The Advocate via AP)
Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon, left, argues with umpire Joe Harris after being tossed from an NCAA college baseball game in the bottom of the second inning against LSU, Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La. Alabama is firing baseball coach Brad Bohannon after a report of suspicious bets involving his team, with the school saying he violated “the standards, duties and responsibilities expected of university employees.” The firing announced Thursday, May 4, came three days after a report warning of suspicious wagers prompted Ohio’s top gambling regulator to bar licensed sportsbooks in the state from accepting bets on Alabama baseball games. (Michael Johnson/The Advocate via AP)
Alabama fired its baseball coach this week amid an investigation into suspicious bets involving a Crimson Tide game at LSU.
The school did not give details about why Brad Bohannon was let go, saying only that he violated “the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of university employees.”
This appears to be the first major gambling scandal in college sports since a Supreme Court decision five years ago paved the way for states to legalize wagering on sporting events.
How were potential improprieties spotted? And what have schools and conferences been doing to safeguard competition since legal sports betting has become widespread in the United States?
RED FLAG
Alabama lost 8-6 at top-ranked LSU on April 28 in a game in which the Crimson Tide’s top starting pitcher was a late scratch with an injury.
A Louisiana gambling official who received a report from an sports integrity monitor said two bets were placed in Ohio at a sportsbook located in the Cincinnati Reds stadium, Great American Ball Park.
Matthew Holt, the president of U.S. Integrity, said the operators of the sportsbook alerted his company to “abnormal activity.” U.S. Integrity alerted state gambling and gaming associations. After collecting information from other states, U.S. Integrity reported back to Ohio regulators, who opened an investigation.
Sporting events all over the world are monitored for potential issues. Holt said U.S. Integrity sends out about 15 alerts per month to sportsbook operators, sports leagues and organizing bodies it has as clients. Its client list includes the Southeastern Conference, home to both Alabama and LSU.
WHY DID OTHER STATES SUSPEND WAGERING ON ALABAMA BASEBALL?
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indiana also pulled Alabama baseball off their boards.
“You have to remember this is really new in a lot of these states and they’re still figuring out how they want to handle it,” Holt said. “You know, not surprisingly, the more experienced states New Jersey and Pennsylvania, they know that the safest bet when there’s a potential issue is to take that event off the board.”
HOW IS SPORTS WAGERING MONITORED?
U.S. Integrity, for example, analyzes data that includes real-time odds and wagering at sportsbooks to try to spot irregular activity. The company also monitors online chatter on social media and other websites.
“All kinds of information, some of which human beings are looking through, some of which the machines are identifying using algorithms,” he said. “The second way alerts are catalyzed, which is what happened in this instance, is operators identify some type of abnormal, nefarious, suspicious activity.”
In most states, sportsbooks are required to work with independent monitors.
SCANDALS
College sports has had its share of gambling-related scandals through the years, including point-shaving in basketball and football where the final scores of games were improperly impacted.
Initial indications are what happened with Alabama baseball was not point-shaving.
A person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press on Thursday that no evidence indicates athletes were involved. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of an ongoing investigation by the school.
The NFL recently suspended five players for violating the league’s gambling rules. Holt said the Alabama case is different.
“What we’re not used to is it involving a coach,” Holt said. “I think the coach is supposed to be the mentor, the role model. And that’s the difference here.”
ESPN reported that sportsbook surveillance video indicated the person who made the suspicious bets in Cincinnati on Alabama’s game was speaking with Bohannon on the phone at the time.
“The natural comparison a lot of people are going to draw is Pete Rose,” said sports gambling expert John Holden, an associate professor in the Oklahoma State School of Business. Rose was banned from Major League Baseball for betting on games while manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
OVERSIGHT
The NCAA, the largest governing body for college sports in the country, p rohibits athletes and athletic department employees from gambling — even legally. And conferences partnered with integrity monitors even before legalized wagering on sporting events became pervasive.
But college sports leaders have looked for both increased protections and ways to tap into the gambling revenue streams over the last five years. The Mid-American Conference was the first to jump in, licensing the rights to its data and statistics to a company called Genius Sports, which will in turn sell it to sportsbooks under a five-year deal announced in 2022.
“Now institutions and conferences are even owning their own data (from sporting events). There’s only one reason to own the data and that’s because it can be managed and sold to gambling interests,” former Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. “It’s a constantly changing environment, but I wouldn’t say that I feel confident that, with the prevalence of gambling, that there aren’t people who are seeking to affect the integrity or outcome of games.”
GOOD SIGN?
Holt said said the Alabama case is actually an example of the benefits of legalized wagering.
“It proves that regulated sports betting and transparency into the marketplace that we have now, it works,” he said. “When people do nefarious things, we catch them.”
___
AP Sports Writers John Zenor and Eric Olson contributed.
___
More AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sport and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 and https://apnews.com/hub/sports-betting
Will gambling case at Alabama ripple across college sports?
- Advertisment - 
Recent Comments
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on Iowa State starting RB Jirehl Brock among latest college football players charged in gambling probe
on The Rev. Al Sharpton to lead protest after Florida governor’s ban of African American studies course
on Sports World Hails ‘Superwoman’ Lindsey Vonn for Her Grand Comeback Despite Career-Changing Injury
on San Mateo County Community College District sues five companies over role in ‘pay to play’ scandal
on Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed – and bemused by the fuss
on ‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Violet’ Fan Theories Suggest Legendary Time Travel, Alternate Dimension Plot
on Joe Manchin and Tommy Tuberville introduce bill on name, image and likeness rules for college sports
on Inside the Michael Jordan ‘Air’ movie, plus why NFL, others are buying into the sports film industry
on If you’re a frequent traveler, these wrap tops from Aday will revolutionize your on-the-go wardrobe
on How Does Jack Nicklaus Travel? Exploring the Private Jets Owned by the ‘Golden Bear’ Over the Years
on Hollywood Reporter: Tom Cruise negotiated with movie studios over AI before the actors strike began
on Ford Blue Cruise: US regulators investigate fatal crashes involving hands-free driving technology
on Dozens of boats cruise the Seine in a rehearsal for the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 26
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on David and Victoria Beckham so ‘Charmed’ by Tom Cruise They Have His Photos on Display at Their Home
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Boise State vs. Air Force live stream, odds, channel, prediction, how to watch on CBS Sports Network
on Biden to tout bill’s prescription drug prices, energy provisions in pitch to Americans, aide says
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Carlos Sainz’s Soccer Fanboy Emerges as Spaniard Shares Defining Moment With This Real Madrid Legend
on Biden: ‘At this point I’m not’ planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on Ahead of big sports weekend, dispute with Disney leaves millions of cable subscribers in the dark
on A heavy wave of Russian missile attacks pounds areas across Ukraine, killing at least 4 civilians
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on Army vs. Coastal Carolina live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez Spreads Joy and Sportsmanship to the Youth of Loma de Cabrera
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year, more than in 2019
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on Dave Portnoy: Taylor Swift’s security should ‘drag Kim Kardashian to jail’ if she attends Eras Tour
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports, Serie A announce new TV rights deal; Paramount+ to air over 400 Italian soccer matches
on Cam Newton’s Violent Public Incident Draws Hilarious Reaction From 3x All-Star: “Where Do I Sign Up
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Angel Reese Launches Foundation Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Sports & Financial Literacy
on A weaker dollar, skyrocketing prices and ‘record’ visitor numbers: Good luck in Europe this summer