Report: Ohio sportsbooks to halt bets on Alabama baseball citing ‘suspicious activity’
Legal sportsbooks in Ohio are not accepting any wagers on Alabama baseball, according to a directive issued on Monday and obtained by ESPN.
Matthew T. Shuler, the executive director of the Ohio Casino Control Commission, made the decision after “suspicious wagering activity” was detected in the Crimson Tide’s 8-6 road loss to No. 1-ranked LSU on April 28.
U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas-based group that monitors “data to see if discrepancies coincide with notable player or coaching events, reveal officiating abnormalities or are indicative of the misuse of insider information,” per its website, sent a warning to its clients following the game last Friday.
Alabama athletics, the Southeastern Conference, the NCAA and the Ohio Casino Control Commission didn’t immediately respond to AL.com’s request for comment.
Before the loss in question in Baton Rouge, L.A., Alabama sophomore Luke Holman was scheduled to start. According to UA’s game recap, reliever Hagan Banks was told “an hour before” first pitch that he would be starting in Holman’s place.
Alabama scored five runs in the final two innings, but their late rally came up short. The Tide was swept by the Tigers, dropping the Tide to 30-15 (9-12 SEC).
In April, Alabama head baseball coach Brad Bohannon was sued by a former player, along with UA’s pitching coach and trainer, due to mistreatment from an injury.
Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].