Fresno State Basketball in latest sports betting scandal
Published:
Feb 26, 2025
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12:44 p.m.
ET
Key Points:
Fresno State guards Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins were withheld from competition on Saturday, February 22 due to an internal investigation into potential betting violations.
Junior forward Mykell Robinson has not been with the team since January 11 and was officially removed from the roster
Reports suggest at least two players placed bets on games they played in.
Fresno State joins a growing list of NCAA programs facing betting-related scandals, highlighting the increasing prevalence of sports gambling among college athletes.
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Legalized sports betting is pervasive and has become entrenched in the world of college sports, stripping part of the landscape’s pillars of integrity and placing it under scrutiny. Fresno State men's basketball is the latest to feature in a sports betting scandal.
When guards Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins were withheld from competition Saturday against Air Force for "eligibility reasons," sources indicated their absence was tied to an internal investigation into betting activity. Additionally, junior forward Mykell Robinson was removed from the team entirely. While details are still emerging, multiple reports suggest that at least two of the players allegedly placed bets on games in which they played – a direct violation of NCAA rules.
Background of Fresno State men’s basketball betting scandal
The controversy began when Fresno State officials launched an internal investigation after being tipped off about potential betting violations. First-year Fresno State head coach Vance Walberg reportedly discovered the alleged gambling activity and notified the university administration, triggering the review. The NCAA's strict prohibition on betting by student-athletes means that any proven violations could lead to permanent ineligibility.
Weaver, the team's second-leading scorer (12.5 points per game), and Collins, the team's top playmaker (4.7 assists per game), have been suspended indefinitely. Reports indicate that Weaver and Robinson allegedly bet on Fresno State games, wagering on props that they would underperform on points and rebounds. If confirmed, this could suggest game manipulation, a serious offense that could have far-reaching consequences for the program.
Collins’ alleged betting activities appear to have focused on professional sports rather than NCAA games. While still a violation, the potential penalties could differ. Weaver, on the other hand, is not expected to return to the program. Robinson is also under university investigation and hasn’t been with the team since January 11th.
Other recent NCAA sports betting scandals
Fresno State is not alone in facing betting-related controversies. The rise of legal sports betting has led to a surge in gambling-related infractions among university-level programs, including:
Temple Basketball (Hysier Miller Scandal) – Former Temple guard Hysier Miller was investigated for allegedly participating in point-shaving schemes. Reports suggest that Miller was approached by external betting groups and agreed to influence game outcomes by intentionally underperforming. Investigators uncovered suspicious betting patterns on Temple games, leading to his dismissal from the team.
LSU (Kayshon Boutte Incident) – Former LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was implicated in a multi-state gambling investigation. Authorities discovered that Boutte had allegedly placed bets using an alias, attempting to bypass state regulations on athlete gambling. His involvement in the scandal resulted in his suspension from team activities and raised concerns about how athletes are being targeted by illicit betting circles.
Notre Dame Men’s Swimming – The Notre Dame swimming betting scandal surfaced when an independent investigation uncovered that the men’s swim team essentially created their own sportsbook to bet on the outcome of their own and others’ results. The entire team was suspended for the 2024-25 season so that the culture of the program could be reestablished and corrected. The NCAA’s strict anti-gambling policies prohibit athletes from betting on any sporting event, but the lure of easy access through smartphones and peer influence has contributed to an uptick in violations.
Iowa and Iowa State Football – One of the most high-profile cases in recent memory involved more than two dozen athletes across multiple sports at Iowa and Iowa State, including football players, who were accused of violating gambling policies. The scandal was uncovered through an investigation into suspicious betting activity, leading to multiple suspensions and legal consequences. Some players allegedly placed bets on their own teams, while others gambled on professional sports—both of which are violations of NCAA rules. The case underscored concerns about student-athletes using online betting platforms under aliases or accounts linked to friends and family to circumvent detection.
How prevalent is betting among college student-athletes?
According to a 2023 NCAA survey, 58% of college students aged 18-22 engaged in some form of sports betting. The study found that 24% of male student-athletes and 5% of female student-athletes admitted to wagering on sports within the past year. Even more concerning, 49% of male athletes and 23% of female athletes who bet on sports believe they can consistently win and make money from gambling.
Fast forward to a 2024 NCAA Survey of a larger sample of athletes specifically, and it was found that 10.7% of males reported betting on sports at least monthly, which was the highest figure in the history of this survey. Male student-athletes also had increased rates (from 2016) of playing cards for money and using online casinos.
One of the most concerning outcomes from the NCAA survey was that the large majority of student-athletes said “no” when asked if they know where to go on campus if somebody wants help for a gambling problem. Just 10% of males and 12% of females responded “yes” to the question overall.
With easy access to betting and a lack of awareness for support resources, these statistics highlight the growing challenge of keeping sports betting out of college athletics.
As betting-related athlete abuse has increased, the NCAA has been pushing for a ban of prop betting on college sports, but it still remains legal in many states.
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