Should Pro Athletes Be Allowed To Sports Bet?

[DOM_Toretto]

Weigh in here. I'm writing a 20 page research paper for my Masters Business Ethics class about the 4 major U.S. pro sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) and the legal and ethical ramifications of allowing or disallowing professional athletes to gamble on sports.

What's your take?

Should players be allowed to bet on all sports? Or any sport but their own? Does fantasy count?

I also need help on finding the player contracts. I know MLB players cannot gamble on any sports illegally (outside of Nevada) and cannot bet on baseball AT ALL. Are the other leagues like this too? Any info on players' association agreements or bylaws regarding sports betting would help me a lot!

Let's get some SBR input into my Masters education!

[Booya711]

They do they just go through people like us. I have placed bets for a few pro athletes and members of pro sports organizations in my time..

[Smoke]

NO.

[DOM_Toretto]

They do they just go through people like us. I have placed bets for a few pro athletes and members of pro sports organizations in my time..

I bet it's probably way more common than people think, huh?

There are many reasons for people to fear for the integrity of the games if the leagues allow their players to openly (legally) bet sports.

There are also numerous reasons to believe no damage will be done, since most players will do it if they want to already (as u mentioned) and that players now make enough money to not jeopordize the income by throwing / shaving / fixing games.

[ttwarrior1]

lo at booya, yeh sure u have

[jjgold]

Pro athletes make too much money as there is no need to bet on sports as it would be an absolute chump change compared to salary they're making.


The pros can bet on any sport as long as it is not theirs that they play and legally of course

[d2bets]

I say yes, as long as it's not a team or event they are associated with.

How is it any different than a CEO trading the stock market for companies they're not involved with?

Now if they're trading in actual inside non-public info gained somehow through being an athlete....that's different. Like any other insider trading.

[JohnnyD4916]

I've seen athletes hanging out in the sports books in vegas so I'm sure they already do.

[broadway6]

if you don't bet on your own sport, what does it matter?

[Jayvegas420]

SBR Pros are allowed to bet & we are essentially the same as professional athletes so, I don't see the issue.

[Booya711]

lo at booya, yeh sure u have

for some lower level guys and guys I grew up with yes I have. I am not saying that I got a call from Tom Brady and shit...

[Booya711]

I bet it's probably way more common than people think, huh?

There are many reasons for people to fear for the integrity of the games if the leagues allow their players to openly (legally) bet sports.

There are also numerous reasons to believe no damage will be done, since most players will do it if they want to already (as u mentioned) and that players now make enough money to not jeopordize the income by throwing / shaving / fixing games.

happens all the time DOM...

[DOM_Toretto]

if you don't bet on your own sport, what does it matter?

MLB, NFL & NHL all strictly prohibit players from gambling on their own sport.

But, those three leagues in addition to NBA give commissioners the authority to discipline players for reasons including gambling, drugs, or crimes.

So even when a NBA player bets on an NFL game he can be fined, suspended, etc.

[pavyracer]

They do gamble illegally all the time. No need to make it legal.

[Big Bear]

yes ofcourse

thats like saying should porn stars be allowed to have sex off camera?

[MUHerd37]

He'll no they shouldn't be able to.

[DOM_Toretto]

Another significant portion of my research paper will be the present and future state of fantasy sports.

Presently, there is nothing stopping pro athletes from wagering hundreds of thousands of dollars on high stakes daily fantasy sports.

At some point do they get involved directly, altering their performances on the field/court/rink?

[Big Bear]

dom i thought you were in your 60's

u are still in college pal?

[Chi_archie]

Another significant portion of my research paper will be the present and future state of fantasy sports.

Presently, there is nothing stopping pro athletes from wagering hundreds of thousands of dollars on high stakes daily fantasy sports.

At some point do they get involved directly, altering their performances on the field/court/rink?

not for fantasy money

they are working for contracts that are for hundreds of millions of dollars if they can be the best

why risk losing a big payday of millions for multi years for a few thousand on fantasy sites? when they can't control the performances of an entire roster of player's but just their own, or maybe someone that is guarding, playing offense against, or they are pitching to.

[The Giant]

I like living in a world where I pretend professional athletes don't know the spreads on games.

[DOM_Toretto]

I like living in a world where I pretend professional athletes don't know the spreads on games.

Ignorance is bliss, huh?

[DOM_Toretto]

dom i thought you were in your 60's

u are still in college pal?

I'm 26, but working towards an MBA.

That's Masters of Business Administration.

[Big Bear]

cool man at Michigan State?

[DOM_Toretto]

not for fantasy money

they are working for contracts that are for hundreds of millions of dollars if they can be the best

why risk losing a big payday of millions for multi years for a few thousand on fantasy sites? when they can't control the performances of an entire roster of player's but just their own, or maybe someone that is guarding, playing offense against, or they are pitching to.

I agree with this view, but it's not the popular viewpoint.

[DOM_Toretto]

cool man at Michigan State?

Naw, I got my Bachelors degree at MSU though

[Mr KLC]

Have to give this a "No". I know that the odds of someone fixing a professional game in this day and age is less likely due to salaries, but it still seems like a conflict of interest to me, even if its in another sport. Friendships do transcend different sports in this day and age. If Baseball Player places a bet on his good friend, Football Player's team, signs of impropriety can arise, even if nothing is happening. For that reason, I think it should not be allowed by any front office, or in the field employee of a sports team also. If gambling means that much to you, JC Pennys is always hiring.

[DOM_Toretto]

Thanks for your insight, KLC!

[Mr KLC]

Thanks for your insight, KLC!

No problem, sir. Good luck on your paper.

[Jayvegas420]

The NBA appears to partnering with fantasy sites while still deploring gambling sites.
The CFL in Canada is endorsed by Bet365 while the provinces make money off the teams through local provincial lotteries.
When the leagues or associations show clear conflicts of interest like this, I think its unfair to hold the players to a higher standard. But when billionaires fight with millionaires usually no one wins except the billionaires.

Refs are more likely to fix games than athletes anyway!

[jjgold]

Makes no sense

Why would an athlete want to bet unless small timer making 150k a year?

[Booya711]

These guys were gambling long before they were pro athletes sonits just not a switch you can turn on or off...take all us degens on this site for example....

[jjgold]

Booya you ever make bets for guys like Aaron Roger and Romo??

[Bigbill365]

Most athltetes dont give a shit what the spread is especially at the pro level.imagine a guy making 5 million a year betting at some online book with max $5,000 bets .The bigger there salarys the less chance of being corruption.Now once you get into the lower levels then the likly hood of a player betting the other side is higher.Theres only a couple players on each team that are even good enough to influence a game and most of them dont wana blow there shot at the big times.

[sam9ball]

Prime example Pete Rose, he got in trouble.

[DiggityDaggityDo]

Makes no sense

Why would an athlete want to bet unless small timer making 150k a year?