Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting investigation. Rozier has been under federal investigation for suspicious betting activity related to his performance in a game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023.
A flurry of bets was placed on Rozier to record fewer than 5.5 rebounds in the game. He exited after just 10 minutes with a foot injury, which ensured that all of the prop bets were winners. He did not play again for the Hornets and was traded the following year to the Miami Heat.
ESPN reported that Rozier was arrested Thursday morning at a hotel in Orlando, Florida, where the Heat lost on the road Wednesday to the Orlando Magic. Rozier did not play due to a coach’s decision.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced a press conference that will provide more details.
Thousands Paid Out After Alleged Spot-Fixing
Bet logs from Harrah’s Gulf Coast sportsbook, run by Caesars in Biloxi, Mississippi, showed that 30 bets were placed on unders in Rozier’s player prop markets on the morning of the game.
In total, the bets amounted to $13,759, with the largest bet of $2,700 coming on under 5.5 rebounds for Rozier. That bet was made over the counter using a casino player’s card.
The other 29 bets were all placed at self-serve betting kiosks, a few hundred dollars at a time, beginning at 9:37 a.m., before the sportsbook counter was open.
Additionally, six sportsbooks in multiple states detected suspicious betting on Rozier props that day, with the majority of the activity occurring in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Mississippi Gaming Commission Refuses Casino Request to Void Bets
The bettor won a net $13,017.70, but Harrah’s Gulf Coast (Caesars) initially refused to pay out, citing the unusual pattern of activity.
Caesars contacted the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) and requested permission to void the bets due to suspicions of insider information being used.
However, emails reveal that the MGC informed the sportsbook that it would be required to pay the winnings without any concrete evidence of foul play.
The email stated, “Has Caesars been able to come up with any evidence to support this being insider information? If not, the property – which I believe is Harrah’s Gulf Coast/Caesars – will need to pay out the wagers.”
Rozier Could Face Lifetime Ban From NBA
If found guilty of feeding information to the individuals who placed the bets and deliberately exiting the game early, Rozier could face a lifetime ban and a lengthy prison sentence.
Porter was banned for life by the NBA last year and is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges. In addition to Porter and Rozier, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is also investigating suspicious prop bets on Malik Beasley.
Unlike the bets on Porter and Rozier, Beasley’s suspicious activity was related to losing bets. There was a flurry of activity on Beasley to have under 2.5 rebounds when the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers played on January 31, 2024. Beasley finished with six rebounds in the contest.
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Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting investigation. Rozier has been under federal investigation for suspicious betting activity related to his performance in a game between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans on March 23, 2023. A flurry of bets was placed on Rozier to record fewer than 5.5 rebounds in the
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