The line between collegiate athletes and sports betting was erased when Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles advised bettors to wager over the posted total in his upcoming game.
Crossing the Line
At a media presser last Thursday, the new Michigan State starting quarterback, Aidan Chiles, had some advice for anyone betting on the total in the Spartans’ game against FAU on Friday night. Aidan Chiles told reporters, “If you bet, take the over,” he said twice in response to questions concerning Michigan State’s season opener on August 30th.
Since those remarks were made, the total has ticked up from 46.5 to 47.5 according to the oddsmakers at Caesars Sportsbook. There have been no public admonishments from the school’s administration or the NCAA in the wake of Chiles’ comments but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been spoken to privately.
Warning Call
Patrick Chester, senior program facilitator for Epic Global Solutions, counsels program administrators and players alike on the dangers of sharing information with friends, family, or the media “that could be used to influence betting.”
Chester believes in keeping all pertinent information “in-house.”
“That includes injury info, game plans, and gambling tips,” Chester wrote via email. “I talk about media, friends, and family and I make a point to stress that whenever they provide any of that information to media, that exposes teammates to potential online abuse and threats from those on the outside, who then may take that information and use it for gambling purposes.”
Saquandra Heath, the NCAA’s associate director of external communication, wrote, “Additionally, the NCAA encourages all athletics departments to provide media training for their student-athletes. However, it is the school’s decision to determine the content of those training sessions.”
NCAA Wants to Squash College Player Props
Current NCAA President and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has waged a very public campaign against states allowing college player prop betting. Baker believes it can be harmful to student-athletes who have been known to get harassed by disgruntled bettors when they do not meet expectations.
It also opens up opportunities for college athletes to be bribed to perform below expectations so bettors can make money betting on props involving that particular athlete. The conventional wisdom is that professional athletes make too much money to be bribed but college players make far less, if they make any money at all from athletics, making them much more accessible targets.
Prop Bets Fever
“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed. The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college props bets,” Baker said in a statement earlier this year.
Baker’s efforts have influenced politicians and regulators in several states with Ohio being among the most notable. The Buckeye State has banned college player props after initially allowing them.
“On behalf of the thousands of student-athletes, administrators, and game officials in Ohio, I thank Gov. DeWine for acting quickly to protect student-athletes and game integrity while responsibly regulating the growing sports betting industry in Ohio,” Baker added.
