AUSTIN, Texas — Between July 11 and Nov. 4, 2024, the Texas athletics department admitted to NCAA violations concerning sports betting, per documents acquired by the Austin American-Statesman.
Although the identities of the five individuals implicated in the violations have been concealed, they encompass two football players, a non-student-athlete affiliated with the women’s tennis program, a student assistant and an athletic department employee whose role is unspecified.
The Statesman's reporting found that the five people placed impermissible wagers totaling $14,885.76. The individuals wagered money on athletes’ statistics through PrizePicks, a daily fantasy sports site.
Sports betting is illegal in Texas; however, the app PrizePicks is legal.
NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff from betting on, or providing information that could influence betting on, any NCAA-sponsored sport.
According to Global Sports Advocates, the potential penalties for student athletes betting on NCAA events include:
- Influencing the game or tipping off sports bettors will likely result in the permanent loss of college sports eligibility.
- Wagering on your own sport at another institution results in mandatory sports wagering rules and prevention education for reinstatement and a potential 50% loss of eligibility for one season.
- Wagers between $201 and $500 mean you lose 10% of a season’s eligibility, and you’ll have to go through rules and prevention education.
- If you bet between $501 and $800, you’ll lose 20% of your playing season, and have to attend rules and prevention classes.
- Wagers of $800 or more lead to a 30% loss of a season’s eligibility, along with rules and prevention education.
- Wagers surpassing $800 may result in reinstatement staff reviewing the need for further or permanent ineligibility.
