Report: Details emerge on Fresno State betting investigation, players involved

Two Fresno State men’s basketball players played daily fantasy on their own games and stats, ESPN’s David Purdum reported. The program has been under investigation for betting-related issues.

ESPN reported Mykell Robinson was part of a group that made daily fantasy wagers on games in which he played, including the under on his points and rebounds. Jalen Weaver also told ESPN he wagered $50 on himself to go over 11 points during a Dec. 31 game against New Mexico. He finished with 13 points and Fresno State lost the game.

Guard Zaon Collins is also part of the inquiry and missed the Feb. 22 game against Air Force due to what the university called an “eligibility matter” needing review. Weaver also missed that game and has since been dismissed from the team, he told ESPN. Collins’ name is still on Fresno State’s official roster as of Friday night.

Robinson has been removed from the roster, as previously reported, and Weaver said he plans to enter the transfer portal after his own dismissal. Weaver also confirmed a text between himself and Robinson about gambling. However, he confirmed he neither bet on his unders for props or on Fresno State to lose.

“I just made a bad decision, and I shouldn’t even have gotten involved with that. Now, I’m obviously paying for it,” Weaver told ESPN. “I bet on a game I played in, but I never tried to sabotage the season. I never bet on us to lose, never bet my unders.”

In a statement to ESPN, the NCAA didn’t comment on the investigation. However, it reiterated its stance about the problems around sports betting and the need for more regulation.

“Sports betting issues are on the rise and while the Association, conferences and schools are doing everything possible to protect the games and the students who play them, it’s clear the types of bets offered and the prevalence of unregulated betting markets impede our efforts,” the statement read.

Fresno State the latest betting-related inquiry in college hoops

Fresno State is the latest college basketball program to come under a betting-related investigation. Three programs – Eastern Michigan, Mississippi Valley State and North Carolina A&T – are all part of a reported betting ring that also involves NBA games, according to ESPN’s David Purdum.

Purdum reported in the case of Eastern Michigan and North Carolina A&T, both were flagged for suspicious activity by “betting integrity monitors” for wagers regarding first-half spreads.

Looking at Eastern Michigan, games against Wright State and Central Michigan this season came into question. In both cases, the Eagles went into the locker room behind. They came back to beat Wright State, but came up short against CMU.

Just one game was mentioned by Purdum for North Carolina A&T. Jan. 9 against Delaware, the first-half line moved up to Delaware -3.5 from -2 ahead of tip while the full-game line remained at -4. The Blue Hens would go on to cover that spread, leading by six at the half.

Additionally, last year, Temple and Loyola Maryland came under review for suspicious wagering activity. Loyola Maryland played its final game of the season against Navy – a 64-48 loss in the Patriot League Tournament.

News of the Loyola Maryland situation came less than 24 hours after another emerged involving Temple. The Owls took on UAB in their penultimate regular season game. After the Blazers opened as 1.5-point favorites, though, the spread ballooned to eight or 8.5, depending on the book.

Charlie Baker has taken a strong stance on prop bets

Since taking over as NCAA president, Charlie Baker has spoken out multiple times about the dangers of prop bets in college sports. He specifically pointed out harassment athletes face for not hitting their numbers.

As a result, he made it clear the NCAA hopes to lead efforts banning prop bets from college games. In a March 2024 statement, Baker said the NCAA has been working with states to make it happen.

“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes being harassed,” Baker said. “The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets.”