Timothy McCormack becomes the first gambler sentenced in an NBA betting scandal

• Timothy McCormack has become the first gambler to have been sentenced (to prison) in the NBA saga involving Rozier and Porter
• The players fed McCormack unpublic information, which allowed himto defraud bookmakers, in the judge's opinion
• Both Rozier and Porter are still awaiting sentencing, with prison sentences not ruled out completely, as McCormack's case demonstrates

You may have followed the saga about a Polymarket user placing multiple bets to fetch north of $400,000 in successful payout on the United States removing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, and wondered - how was that person able to place these exact wagers just hours before the event was announced?

Doesn’t this smack of insider trading? Since prediction markets are not gambling platforms, however, the point appears to be moot. But if you happen to be placing large amounts of money on prop bets with nonpublic information on NBA games and athletes, well that’s another matter altogether. Timothy McCormack has come to find out the hard way.

McCormack first person to go to prison over defrauding sportsbooks

McCormack is the first gambler to have been sentenced in relation to the major NBA gambling scandal that involves prominent players such as Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier. McCormack has been handed down a two-year prison sentence for defrauding sportsbooks by placing prop bets using inside information fed to him by the players.

Prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence, whereas the defense insisted that no prison time neededto be served for their client to be rehabilitated. However, Judge LaShann DeArcy landed in the middle, ordering a two-year sentence in the end.

Judge DeAcry was critical of the scheme and the notion of athletes colluding with third-parties to rig the outcome of games. This comes at a time when Americans are increasingly skeptical of the fairness of sports competitions, too.

"There is no question that this is a serious crime. ... It is about sports generally, what do sports mean to this country. They are supposed to be the best, and we all root for these teams. This undermines that," Judge DeAcry argued.

Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter also await sentencing, further legal action

In the meantime, Porter and Rozier are also awaiting further legal action against them. Porter, for example, is now awaiting sentencing, after he agreed to plead guilty in 2024.

Rozier, in the meantime, has refused to plead guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy , and is out on a $3m bail bond, while his team, the Miami Heat, still has the player on unpaid leave. Rozier will next appear in court in March.

Image credit: Unsplash.com