Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff opened up on the rising influence of sports betting over the NBA, revealing that he has received threats from disgruntled gamblers.
“I have had some instances where some of the sports gamblers got my telephone number and were sending me messages about where I live, my kids, and all that stuff. It is a dangerous game and a fine line we’re walking. It brings added pressure, it brings a distraction to the game that can be difficult for players, coaches, referees, and everyone that’s involved in it. We really have to be careful with how close we let it get to the game and the security of the people involved in it.”
Bickerstaff also revealed how gambling is directly impacting the game, with fans yelling at teams and players to cover points spreads in blowout games. He openly declared that the betting influence has already gone too far.
“There’s no doubt about it that it’s crossed the line. The number of times I am standing up there and we may have a 10-point lead and the spread is 11, and people are yelling at me to leave the guys in so I can cover the spread. It’s ridiculous. I understand the business side of it but it is something that I believe has gone too far.”
#Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff makes a startling revelation in explaining why he feels sports gambling has already gone too far even though he understands the business reasons behind it now being embraced by professional leagues. pic.twitter.com/O5QX6snjuE
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) March 20, 2024
The NBA has doubled down on its strategy of integrating betting into the game, with a recent announcement claiming that the league will integrate live betting onto NBA League Pass. With the NBA having multiple official betting partners, the influence of what was once an outlawed part of sports is rising by the day.
Given the NBA’s history with betting through officials like Tim Donaghy, this is a slippery slope that could one day lead to another scandal in the NBA.
Tyrese Haliburton Criticized The Influence Of Sports Betting On The NBA
Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t been shy when it comes to being real about the decisions the NBA takes he disagrees with. He’s been a vocal critic of the NBA’s 65-game rule for awards consideration and recently tore into betting in the NBA, claiming that he’s just a DraftKings prop for half the world.
“To half the world, I’m just helping them make money on DraftKings or whatever. I’m a prop, that’s what my social media mainly consists of… It’s funny sometimes, people are like, ‘I lost $1000!’ I don’t give a f**k.”
Haliburton is far from the only player that’s shared these concerns, with multiple players discussing being harassed over betting outcomes. Terry Rozier even threatened to fight a fan who disrespectfully messaged him on Instagram. Rudy Gobert was even fined $100,000 for going off on how betting is influencing NBA referees.
Betting is inarguably profitable for the league, with it even expanding the league’s fanbase as more people tune into games just to watch how their bets play out. However, this could all lead to a major scandal in the future if the wrong player or official gets mixed up in this. Hopefully, the NBA can prevent that, but the trends are alarming right now.
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