Pistons’ Free Agent Guard Investigated for Gambling
Free agent NBA guard Malik Beasley is under investigation by federal authorities for possible gambling violations, according to his attorney.
Malik Beasley is under investigation for alleged gambling.
Key Facts:
- The US District Attorney’s office is reportedly investigating the NBA’s Malik Beasley for gambling
- Free agent guard is alleged to have bet on NBA games and prop bets according to ESPN
- ESPN reports that a sportsbook noticed unusual betting activity on Beasley prop bets during 2023-24 season
According to reporting by ESPN, Malik Beasley of the Detroit Pistons is the subject of a federal investigation into possible betting violations.
David Payne Purdum, who reports on gambling for ESPN, claims a sports betting operator self-reported strange betting activity around Beasley during the 2023-24 season. The activity allegedly occurred in January of 2024.
ESPN professional basketball insider Shams Charania reported over the past weekend that Beasley allegedly bet on NBA games and may have wagered on prop bets.
If Beasley or someone in cooperation with him wagered on his prop bets, that would be a violation of NBA rules. It could also potentially be a crime.
NBA Suspended Jontay Porter for Prop Betting Scheme in 2024
The NBA prohibits players from wagering on NBA games in any way. In 2024, Jontay Porter, who last played for the Toronto Raptors, was found to have impacted his own prop bets and allegedly colluded with others to place bets on those odds.
A prop bet is a wager on an athlete’s specific statistical performance. In the case of Beasley, for example, there would be odds on his points, assists, rebounds, three-point shots made, and so on.
A bettor can place a wager on whether an NBA player will go over or under the points, assists, rebounds, or other stat in a game. Porter was found to have taken himself out of games for alleged phantom injuries, guaranteeing the under on his prop bets.
Beasley’s attorney reiterated that his client has not been accused of wrongdoing.
An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the US constitution. As of now, he has not been charged with anything.– Steve Haney, attorney for Malik Beasley, as reported by ESPN
ESPN reported that the Pistons have been considering signing Beasley to a free-agent deal. But those talks are on hold due to the investigation.
Beasley is a valued long-range shooter: he finished second in the NBA in successful three-point shots in the 2024-25 season.
Porter was the first athlete from one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America to receive a lifetime ban for violating gambling rules. If Beasley were found guilty of manipulating his prop bets or wagering on the NBA, he could face a similar punishment.
