Gamblers Won Thousands On Ex-Celtics Guard; What’s Going On?
A former Boston Celtics guard continues to make headlines in connection to a gambling controversy.
On March 23, 2023, Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier exited the floor 10 minutes into a game versus the New Orleans Pelicans due to a foot injury. Rozier did not return to the court that night, and he did not play for the remainder of the season.
Rozier’s injury wouldn’t normally be news. Here’s the catch: 30 Rozier “under” bets amounting to $13,759 were placed that March morning at a sportsbook in Mississippi. All the bets won.
The unusual activity sparked an investigation, the details of which were recently discussed by ESPN’s David Purdum.
“On the morning of March 23, 2023, a bettor at a sportsbook in Biloxi, Mississippi, placed $13,759 in bets on the unders on Rozier’s statistics in a game that night between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, according to the documents, which ESPN acquired through an open records request,” Purdum reported. “All 30 bets won, after Rozier, an eight-year veteran with the Hornets at the time, exited 10 minutes into the game, citing a foot issue. … Rozier, who was not listed on the Hornets’ pregame injury report, finished the game with 5 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, all under the betting line on his statistics. He did not play the remainder of the season and was traded to the Miami Heat in January 2024.”
Purdum also reported that the ongoing investigation hasn’t found Rozier guilty of any involvement.
“The NBA investigated the unusual activity in 2023 and found that no league rules were violated,” Purdum wrote. “Two years later, Rozier is one of three NBA players known to have been under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Rozier has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing.”
“Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, said while the federal inquiry remains ongoing, his client is not a target of the investigation,” Purdum continued. “A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said in an email that they could not confirm or deny Rozier’s status in the investigation and declined further comment. Trusty said Rozier met with NBA and FBI officials multiple times in 2023 and that the initial investigation determined that he had done nothing wrong.”
Rozier, 31, was drafted by the Celtics in 2015 and spent four seasons with the franchise. He was the No. 10 vote-getter for Sixth Man of the Year during the 2017-18 season with Boston.