Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier Arrested in Illegal Gambling Investigations

NBA Figures Arrested in Gambling Cases

According to ESPN’s reporting, Terry Rozier was detained on Thursday morning at a hotel in Orlando, Florida. The Miami Heat had opened their season a night earlier against the Orlando Magic, a game Rozier did not play due to a coach’s decision.

Chauncey Billups was arrested in Oregon as part of a parallel investigation tied to an illegal gambling case connected to a Mafia-linked poker operation, as reported by ABC News and cited by ESPN. Billups is expected to appear in court later the same day.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, led by director Kash Patel, are scheduled to provide more information during a press briefing at 10 a.m. ET.

Suspicious Betting Activity Sparked Scrutiny of Rozier

Rozier’s case is linked to unusually high betting activity surrounding his player statistics while he was with the Charlotte Hornets. ESPN reported that sportsbooks across several states flagged suspicious wagers placed on the under for his points, rebounds and assists ahead of a March 23, 2023, game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

One professional bettor placed 30 wagers worth a total of $13,759 within a span of 46 minutes. Sportsbooks suspended betting shortly afterward. Rozier played only 10 minutes in the game before leaving with what he said was a foot injury.

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, previously confirmed to ESPN that Rozier met several times with NBA and FBI officials in 2023. At that time, the NBA said it did not find any rule violations.

Rozier, 31, is in the final season of a four-year, $96.3 million contract signed with the Hornets in 2021. He was traded to the Miami Heat in January 2024.

Part of a Wider NBA Betting Investigation

The investigation involving Rozier is partly tied to the broader betting scandal surrounding former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter. Porter was banned from the NBA in spring 2024 after admitting to involvement in a gambling scheme related to player prop bets. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and confessed in court to manipulating his performance in two games during the 2023-24 season. Sentencing is scheduled for December.

According to court filings cited by ESPN, four men, including Porter, have pleaded guilty. Two others have been named as conspirators and are negotiating plea deals.

Details of the case involving Billups, who has coached the Trail Blazers since 2021, have not yet been disclosed publicly beyond the alleged connection to an illegal poker operation. Billups coached Portland in their opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week. The former NBA Finals MVP and 2024 Hall of Fame inductee has not issued a public statement.

NBA Response to Rising Betting Concerns

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed manipulation concerns earlier this week on “The Pat McAfee Show”, telling ESPN:

“We’ve asked some of our partners to pull back some of the prop bets, especially when they’re on two-way players, guys who don’t have the same stake in the competition, where it’s too easy to manipulate something, which seems otherwise small and inconsequential to the overall score. We’re trying to put in place — learning as we go and working with the betting companies — some additional control to prevent some of that manipulation.”

The league continues to collaborate with sportsbooks to monitor irregular activity as sports betting becomes increasingly integrated into the professional sports landscape.