It seems unbelievable that the National Football League suspended Arizona Cardinals cornerback Josh Shaw last year. The first player to take the punishment since 1980. And for what? For betting on pro football games.
But Shaw was not the first and will not be the last to bet on sports. The history of celebrity gambling is long, and more than one has been caught red-handed. Fortunately, none of Shaw’s teammates or coaches were caught.
And this is precisely the reason why we want to bring you our article about sports stars spotted in betting. Because not only professional football has its gamblers, as there are plenty of scandals that pop up from time to time. Besides, since it is hard to find an excellent online casino with deposit bonuses up to par, we will explain everything you need to know about the celebrities and sports betting that made the headlines!
The Switch towards Online Casinos with a First Deposit Bonus
We all know that Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods gambled more than once, along with more than one convenient getaway to Las Vegas. But they weren’t the only ones. However, times have changed.
It used to be quite an achievement for a professional footballer or any other athlete not to be detected gambling since there was no possibility of betting online. Now, not only is there such a possibility, but it is also much more difficult to be caught by authorities or even the team itself. And athletes are ultimately only humans, which attracts them like everyone else to online casinos.
The growth of the online casino and bonus betting industry is not something that can be ignored easily. At this time, various state lawmakers are considering sports betting legalization. Anyone with or without any experience can successfully win at football betting and online odds and sports casinos.
Thanks to the reviews, we know exactly what a first deposit bonus ranking (???????? ?????) is worth, whatever the sports market may be. Because this type of bonus welcomes customers to the best betting platforms, which Jordan and Woods could only have dreamed of in the 90s. Indeed, more than one first deposit bonus has succeeded in seducing the following athletes below towards a casino.
Famous Sports Scandals
And it wasn’t just Josh Shaw. Throughout the last few decades, there have been many gambling scandals in the sports environment. However, there is a difference between gambling and betting, which you’ll see right away. From the NFL to an NBA referee, here are some of the different characters who received sanctions for breaking the rules of the sport:
Paul Hornung
Back in the day, Paul Hornung was known for being ‘The Golden Boy’ in professional American football. He was part of four World Champion Green Bay Packer teams, besides winning the first Super Bowl. However, despite his fame, Hornburg was suspended for the entire 1963 season for betting up to $500 on NCAA and NFL games. Those amounts of money are nothing compared to what people bet today, but even so, the league took no mercy on him.
Joey Barton
Across the pond, in the world of soccer, Joey Barton, then a player for Burnley of the EPL, received an 18-month ban from playing. But he was not caught in just one bet; the player confessed to having bet on at least 1,200 matches.
Jordan Stevens
At the age of 19, the Leeds United player was unable to compete for six weeks. He violated the betting rules, and being still a youth, the team had to get rid of him from August 2018 to May 2019.
Pete Rose
In 1989, the very famous batsman Pete Rose had a lifetime punishment, which he had to accept. After a brutal investigation by commissioner Bartlett Giamatti, it was revealed that Rose had been involved in plenty of sports gambling while still playing. When it all came to light, Rose served as manager of the Reds until he was punished and has not returned to MLB employment since.
Jaidyn Stephenson
This time on the other side of the globe, Jaidyn Stephenson was banned for 22 games in the Australian Football League. But on top of that, Stephenson was caught placing three bets in a duel of his own team, the Collingwood Magpies. Obviously, this was completely forbidden in the Australian Football League and has not happened since.
Tim Donaghy
One of the biggest scandals of the twenty-first century was with the former NBA referee conspired to fix NBA games. Tim Donaghy started gambling sporadically in 2003, and in a short time, he was doing it more and more. One season later, Donaghy was involved in as many as 40 different bets. His success was such that he even hid the winning money from his wife to not suspect the activity. Three years later, the scandal came to light, which led to Donaghy’s complete retirement from the sport.
Turning the Blind Eye
When we talk exclusively about football in the United States, it must be said that betting on professional sports is against the rules, but it is still common.
It has happened many times that big names in American football used incredibly discreet techniques to pass their desired information to their bookies or the best online casinos. This means that if someone is suspicious of the bets or the law enforcement wants to catch the person in charge of placing those bets, they will only find intermediaries, along with their family and friends. Not the athlete himself.
Still, the NFL has a pretty realistic attitude towards this issue. The franchise has a reputation that stretches across the country, along with thousands of employees, all of whom can’t all be watched one by one. Therefore, information will always get out.
