Betting in the NBA has only become official in the past few years. But before that, people used to bet in different ways to make money. Bets in those days were much simpler than what is available today. Even then, some bets needed everything to go one’s way. Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas revisits one such situation which ended up costing rapper Ja Rule and producer Irv Gotti.
The former All-Star was speaking about this incident and betting in general while on his podcast. He recalled the incidents that took place that day:
Look, I don’t know nothing about sports betting back then. Therefore, I didn’t care what the time was nor what the score was. I was shooting that s**t, right? And I remember, like he said, ‘Don’t shoot the ball’ or ‘You not gonna shoot it.’ And it was, winding down, three, two, I shot that b***h. Irv Gotti, he had the money on the game. That’s Ja f***ing Rule, I shot three, easy money.
Gilbert Arenas on Gils Arena
Gilbert Arenas said that he had no idea about the bet, and he was just playing basketball the way he knew. He shot the three as he had to bring the deficit down as any player would do.
But little did he realize later on that Ja Rule and producer Irv Gotti had placed a bet on the point difference and the win. The win was already secured for the Houston Rockets, considering the time remaining. It was the point difference that mattered.
Had he known that his score was about to erase a $175k win for the musical duo, he might have abstained from it. But now, players look at betting in the NBA differently once fans started getting involved.
It is to be noted that no official, player, employee, or coach in the NBA is allowed to bet on games. The NBA is extremely strict about this. Failure to adhere to this rule can result in a hefty fine and a possible lifetime ban.
NBA players do not appreciate fans taking shots at them for ruining bets
Ever since the NBA legalized betting, it has opened avenues for fans sitting anywhere to place bets on a variety of odds. Betting has also helped NBA franchises earn more as fans dip into their pockets to try and make some more. However, when fans express disappointment and blame players for their losses, it paints an ugly picture.
Players have talked about fans trying to tell them what to do from the sidelines. All in the interest of winning a parlay or a prop of any kind. On the other hand, when players do not end up matching their betting scenarios, fans turn up the heat and take verbal shots at them. Even coaches have been subject to such altercations.
The NBA might take note of this and add security to handle such fans. Players and coaches should not be influenced by fan bets in any way. Once they do, their career is generally over, as Jontay Porter recently found out.
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