Suspicious betting activity surrounding the Alabama baseball team led the Ohio sports betting regulator to suspend betting on the team.
The suspension, first reported by ESPN, stems from Friday‘s Alabama-LSU baseball game. Monitoring service US Integrity notified its sports betting clients Friday about suspicious wagering activity involving the game. Ohio sportsbooks received notice to stop taking bets on Monday.
President and founder of US Integrity Matthew Holt told LSR he could not comment on an ongoing investigation. It is not immediately clear where the suspicious wagering took place.
The University of Alabama athletic department did not respond to requests for comment.
Ohio sports betting regulator statement
The Ohio Casino Control Commission responded to LSR with a statement and the letter sent by Executive Director Matt Schuler on Monday.
“The Commission received information from one of its certified independent integrity monitors regarding wagers made on University of Alabama baseball, and made the decision to prohibit all wagers on UA Baseball,” an OCCC spokesperson said.
“We are continuing to look into the matter.”
What did Alabama baseball email to licensees say?
Schuler’s email was short and to the point:
“The Ohio Casino Control Commission has received reports from one of its certified independent integrity monitors regarding wagers made on University of Alabama Baseball.
“In response to these reports, I am issuing an emergency order to licensees under Ohio Adm.Code 3775-11-01(E)(2), prohibiting the acceptance of any wagers on University of Alabama Baseball effective immediately. Any wagers placed on an incomplete sporting event that has had wagering suspended through the issuance of an emergency order must be voided in accordance with Chapter 3775-11-01(F).”
With Schuler’s email sent Monday, that left wagering open on the other two Alabama-LSU games over the weekend. Alabama’s next series starts Thursday against Vanderbilt.
Regulated sports betting helps find issue
The fact that suspicious betting activity was spotted shows the regulated US sports betting industry is working as touted.
Having a monitored market helped catch multiple NFL players who were betting on NFL games, including three last month.
Another two were suspended because they were geolocated on team grounds while betting on other sports.
