Notre Dame Sports Betting Scandal: Men's Swim Team Suspended
Clinical Review by:
Published:
Aug 21, 2024
,
11:26 a.m.
ET
Updated:
Aug 21, 2024
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08:40 p.m.
ET
Notre Dame is at the center of a sports betting scandal that is the latest in a growing list of betting-related controversies in college and professional sports in recent years. While we hear a lot about sports betting, it seems even more shocking when it involves college sports and the suspension of an entire team.
The Notre Dame men's swimming program was suspended for at least a year after an investigation revealed that several swimmers on the team were betting illegally. This is a clear violation of the NCAA rules on sports gambling.
Why was the entire ND men’s swimming program suspended?
While it may seem unfair that the entire Notre Dame men’s swimming program was suspended, it was found by an independent investigation that a majority of the returning 2024-25 season swimming team participated in the illegal betting.
A statement from the Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua indicated that the entire swim team was suspended so that the culture of the program could be reestablished and corrected.
How were the Notre Dame swimmers betting?
The Notre Dame men’s swim team essentially created their own sportsbook so they could bet on the outcome of their own and others’ results. The team was generally betting the over/under of both their individual finishing times and the other swimmers on the team. They were not found to have bet against their opponents or other sports at Notre Dame.
Some members of the team had also bet among themselves on events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness basketball tournament games. A group chat with members of the team filled with derogatory remarks and messages was also discovered.
Notre Dame just the latest college sports betting scandal
While the scandal at Notre Dame is the latest, it is certainly not the first or only. Over the past decade there have been many sports betting scandals at the college level that have surfaced.
Alabama Baseball
In Spring 2023, former head coach Brad Bohannon was found to have provided insider information that would impact the outcome of a game against LSU. He provided this information to a bettor who tried to place a $100,000 bet against Alabama. This suspicious betting was investigated by the NCAA and Bohannon was fired from Alabama..
Iowa & Iowa State Football
Over two dozen Iowa and Iowa State athletes were penalized by the NCAA in early 2023 due to illegal and underage sports betting. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) used geofencing technology that is used to detect bets made near the college campuses. It was found that some athletes used fake names to place bets while others used third-party credit cards to try and hide the bets they were making.
Kayshon Boutte at LSU
Kayshon Boutte was arrested in early 2024 for illegal sports betting that he conducted between 2022 and 2023 when he was playing for LSU. He used an alias to get around the age restriction for better and allegedly placed almost 9,000 wagers, with 17 on NCAA football games and 6 of those involving LSU.
The charges against Boutte were ultimately dropped in June 2024 after the investigation found that his betting did not cause anyone else financial harm. He also agreed to a “self-ban” on betting moving forward.
Temple Basketball
In the hours prior to the game on March 7, 2024, a surge in bets made in favor of Temple University's opponent, University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), were placed. The game has since been reviewed for match fixing after the pre-match betting points favoring UAB soared from 2.5 to 8, which is rare without a last minute line-up change or injury.
U.S. Integrity, a gambling watchdog company, is investigating the suspicious wagering.
Rise in popularity of sports betting on college campuses
With sports betting now legal in the majority of states in the U.S, sports betting on college campuses has increased significantly. The negative impact of betting on college students has become a cause of concern, with 67% of students reporting that they bet.
How are College Students Under 21 Gambling on Sports?
Around 6% of college students are estimated to meet the criteria for a serious gambling problem, and even more are participating in concerning levels of online betting.
Treatment for gambling addiction
Birches Health is a telehealth program that provides behavioral treatment for gambling and sports betting addictions. Birches offers accessible and affordable treatment from the comfort of home.
On Birches website you can take a free self-assessment test if you aren’t sure if your betting or gambling is a problem. You can also refer someone else to Birches anonymously if you are concerned about their gambling.
Here’s how to get started with Birches today:
You may also call 833-483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to get in touch directly with the Birches care team.
