In addition to banning these kinds of bets from being incorporated in parlays, sportsbook operators have agreed to set a $200 wagering cap on micro-betting around individual pitches in Major League Baseball games.
The statement was made one day after two pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians were accused of conspiring to engage in money laundering and sports betting.
The news was made this afternoon by MLB. In order to reduce the incentive for manipulation and mitigate integrity risks—which have allegedly occurred with Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz—the league has been collaborating with sportsbook partners to set limits on pitch-level markets (ball/strike, pitch velocity), according to Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Indictments by the FBI
Ortiz and Clase are accused of working with bettors to rig pitches during MLB games, with fraudulent wagers resulting in over USD $400,000 in profits awarded to gamblers, thousands of dollars of which were kicked back to the pitchers, according to an indictment that was unsealed yesterday. While Ortiz became involved for the first time in June of last year, Clase is accused of working with bettors to manipulate pitches as early as May 2023. Both athletes were accused of conspiring to influence a sporting event through bribery, money laundering, wire fraud, and honest services.
The Guardians' relief pitcher brought a bettor to a game in April, and before Clase hit the mound, they had a phone conversation. This was one of the reported incidents involving Clase. The bettor and companions won $11,000 on a wager that Clase would toss a certain pitch at less than 97.95 mph just minutes after the call.
Honesty of the Game
On all counts, both players may get a maximum penalty of 65 years in prison.
“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, Major League Baseball has continuously worked with industry and regulatory stakeholders across the country to uphold our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” said Manfred. “I commend Ohio Governor [Mike] DeWine for his leadership on this issue over the last several months. I also commend the industry for working with us to take action on a national solution to address the risks posed by these pitch-level markets, which are particularly vulnerable to integrity concerns.
“We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including licensed sports betting operators, elected officials and regulators, to ensure we are always protecting the integrity of our game.”
Strange Betting Trends
MLB's official bookmaker is FanDuel. The biggest betting providers in the country, FanDuel and DraftKings, both declared they would comply with MLB's request.
When contacted by Casino.org, a DraftKings representative stated, "Recent events across professional sports demonstrate that the legal, regulated sports betting industry is working as intended – promoting transparency, accountability, and protecting the integrity of sport." To further discourage dishonest players while preserving fairness and confidence in the game, we have modified some bet types in partnership with Major League Baseball.
According to FanDuel President Chistian Genetski, authorized sportsbook providers will keep working with sports leagues to guarantee integrity in game betting.
According to ESPN, after starting an inquiry into odd betting patterns involving games Ortiz was pitching in, MLB has been in discussions with approved sportbooks partners since last summer.
Ortiz was freed on $500,000 bail after appearing in federal court in Boston today.
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