The NCAA men's basketball tournament concluded on April 7 with an impressive comeback by the University of Florida, which overcame a 12-point deficit to defeat Houston in the national championship game. Historically, such a loss could have caused significant distress for noted bettor Jim McIngvale, the owner of a furniture store who is known for making seven-figure bets in support of the Cougars. Last year, McIngvale could have won $15 million if Houston had triumphed. However, ahead of this year’s Final Four, he did not publicize any major wagers.
In light of ongoing issues related to sports betting, the NCAA is actively promoting responsible gambling practices. The organization has been encouraging bettors to remain within their financial limits. During March Madness, the NCAA launched its "Draw the Line" educational initiative, which included advertising campaigns and the use of signage at the Final Four to highlight the risks associated with gambling.
This initiative comes at a time when scandals have erupted in both professional and collegiate basketball concerning illegal betting activities. Several schools have found themselves involved in a federal investigation linked to an underground betting ring, although the Final Four concluded in San Antonio without any significant developments in the inquiry.
In March, the NCAA held the East Regional games in Newark, New Jersey, which was one of the first states to legalize sports betting following the 2018 PASPA decision. However, New Jersey does not allow betting on college sports within the state. On March 28, just before the tournament began, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement issued a cease-and-desist order against Kalshi and Robinhood for offering betting markets on college basketball. Robinhood subsequently removed its college basketball betting markets from its New Jersey site.
Cooper Flagg, the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year, showcased his skills in Newark, leading Duke to its second Final Four appearance in four years. Flagg played a vital role in the Blue Devils’ success, including two victories over their rival, North Carolina, during the season.
At a congressional hearing on sports betting last December, Senator Dick Durbin relayed a concerning story about former Tar Heels player Armando Bacot. Bacot, despite posting strong stats in an 85-69 victory against Michigan State, reportedly received around 100 hostile messages on social media from disgruntled bettors unhappy with his performance against the betting spread.
Flagg noted that many of his Duke teammates also received aggressive messages related to betting, to which he responded, 'We just kind of see it and laugh at it.' Flagg, projected to be the top pick in the June NBA draft, concluded his season averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He acknowledged, however, that he too has missed the betting projections, such as when he scored just 16 points in a game against Alabama.
Grant Nelson, an NBA prospect from Alabama, shared Flagg’s perspective, stating that his team largely ignores issues concerning sports betting, concentrating instead on their game performance. NCAA President Charlie Baker condemned the harassment directed at student-athletes, describing it as 'absolutely unacceptable.' He has called on states that allow sports betting to outlaw prop bets involving college athletes, emphasizing the risks these actions pose to their mental health and the integrity of college sports.
In January, federal authorities arrested Shane Hennen, a professional poker player, at Harry Reid International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Colombia via Panama. Hennen is believed to have played a central role in orchestrating illicit financial transactions and fraudulent sports wagers totaling millions of dollars, tied to a point-shaving scheme considered one of the most significant in North American sports history.
The investigation now encompasses at least six Division I programs and has raised alarms around unusual betting patterns observed in Temple basketball games, specifically a game against UAB on March 7, which experienced unusual line shifts.
Last November, the probe expanded to involve additional teams from lower-division conferences. Hennen was the sixth person arrested in this ongoing investigation, which is connected to the case of former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who has confessed to intentionally underperforming to affect betting outcomes. The NBA has banned Porter for life due to his actions being regarded as 'the cardinal sin' in maintaining sports integrity.
On March 26, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Levy granted a continuance in Hennen's case, extending it until May 25 to allow for potential plea negotiations.
Kevin Young, a new coach at BYU, has noted the significant emphasis placed by the NBA on educating players about the implications of gambling. Although BYU is located in Utah, a state without legal sports betting, Young stressed the importance of educating players on gambling regulations and ensuring compliance. He expressed surprise that the college sports framework does not have more stringent protocols compared to the NBA.
During the tournament, BYU lost to Alabama 113-88, and Duke also triumphed over Arizona 100-93 in the evening game. Arizona’s coach, Tommy Lloyd, stated that educational efforts regarding gambling have improved, but remarked that some individuals are exploiting young athletes. A bill has been introduced in North Carolina to ban prop bets on college athletes, adding to the 18 states and Washington D.C. that have enacted similar legislation.
An American Gaming Association study projected that gamblers would wager a total of approximately $3.1 billion on this year's NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments. Illinois coach Brad Underwood expressed concern about the future of sports betting, noting it would be unfortunate for wagers to be placed on something as trivial as the result of the opening tip-off. Lloyd reiterated his worries about the negative impacts of betting-related harassment on players, stressing, 'I don’t want them getting crushed for a free throw that caused the point spread to go one way or the other.'
