© Mike Kittrell/al.com/TNS South Alabama head coach Mark Calvi, left, and Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon, right, meet with umpires before a NCAA baseball game Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Stanky Field in Mobile, Ala.
Gambling on college athletics has taken center stage following the news Alabama decided to fire baseball coach Brad Bohannon after a report raised questions about “suspicious wagering activity” surrounding a Crimson Tide baseball game.
It is being reported there is nothing connecting Alabama players to the probe.
A statement from Alabama on Bohannon’s firing does not mention the gambling investigation. Still, Alabama director of athletics Greg Byrne has initiated the termination process for, among other things, “violating the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of University employees.”
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The gambling activity took place Friday at the sportsbook at the Great American Ball Park, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
Ronnie Johns, the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, told NOLA.com that one of the bets was a parlay involving the Alabama-LSU game, and another was a “large” straight-up bet on the game. Both wagered LSU would win.
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As it turns out, “large” in terms of college baseball gambling is a pretty broad term.
ESPN reports regular-season college baseball games rarely attract betting interest or “large” wages. FanDuel, per the report, said it didn’t take a single bet on the game, while other sportsbooks also reported minimal betting on the game.
BetMGM told “Forbes Betting” there was no runline – as in spread on the game – or an over/under on the total runs scored offered for the game. BetMGM said it couldn’t provide the amount of the “large” moneyline bet due to the “active investigation” into the game.
David Purdum, who covers gambling for ESPN, told “Outside the Lines” on Thursday betting on college baseball is “very minimal, especially during the regular season.”
“When we get to the College World Series, you’ll see the bulk of the wagering on college baseball,” Purdum said. “Even then, it pales in comparison to any kind of sports.”
While Purdum re-iterated one sportsbook didn’t take a single bet on the game, he added an additional sportsbook took a $35 bet.
“If there were any large wagers placed or increased betting interests on this game it would stick out.”
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Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
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