Lynnae is a journalist covering the intersection of technology, culture, and gambling. She has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor, with bylines at SlashGear and MakeUseOf. On the iGaming side,...
The NCAA handed down three sports betting rulings tied to Temple University's men's basketball program on Friday, permanently banning former guard Hysier Miller after finding he had wagered on and against his own team.
Investigators determined that in multiple instances, Miller had placed parlays on a total of 39 Temple men's basketball games and three additional parlays that included betting against the Owls. All of the bets were placed between November 2022 and March 2024.
Two former Temple staff members, special assistant coach Camren Wynter and former graduate assistant Jaylen Bond, were also sanctioned for betting on professional and collegiate sports.
NCAA enforcement staff were alerted to the potential violations after a sports monitoring service notified them of irregularities during Temple men's basketball games. A joint review by the university and the NCAA uncovered separate violations by the three individuals. While the time frame during which their conduct occurred overlapped, investigators said there is no indication their actions were coordinated.
The announcement of the latest rulings comes as the NCAA is set to rule on whether student-athletes and athletic department staff will be allowed to place bets on professional sports. According to ESPN, federal law enforcement is investigating whether Miller was involved in point-shaving and game manipulation during his time at Temple.
In a letter addressed to students, colleagues, and alumni, Temple President John Fry referenced the investigation, saying, "I have been made aware of media reports about a former Temple basketball student-athlete, detailing a federal investigation into sports wagering activities. While it is disappointing to see Temple mentioned in this context, we know that it is not representative of our athletics program."
Miller's bets on and against Temple resulted in a permanent loss of eligibility, the harshest penalty the NCAA imposes for student-athlete sports betting violations. Under NCAA guidelines adopted in 2023, betting on one's own team or sharing information to do so is the "starting point" for a lifetime ban.
The two staff members also received penalties for their own, unrelated betting activity. Wynter placed at least 52 bets during a five-month span in 2023, totaling roughly $9,642, while Bond placed 546 wagers across nearly two years, totaling about $5,597. Although neither wagered on Temple contests, both acknowledged betting on college sports despite having received training on NCAA rules at the university.
The panel classified Wynter's case as Level II-standard and Bond's as Level II-mitigated. They were both given a one-year show-cause order that requires them to lead a sports betting education session if hired by another NCAA program, along with a suspension from 10% of a future regular season (three games) should they return to college basketball.
The Temple decision is just the latest in a string of NCAA betting cases that have rocked collegiate sports this year.
A recent case involved a coordinated wagering and game-manipulation scheme at Fresno State and San Jose State, where three former basketball players were permanently banned for betting on their own games and altering their performances to influence prop bets.
In a separate case, the NCAA revoked the eligibility of six former players from New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State, and Arizona State after finding they either threw games or shared inside information with bettors in separate betting schemes.
The NCAA is also conducting an ongoing investigation into 13 basketball players from six schools (Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley State) for alleged violations, including betting on and against their own teams and manipulating game outcomes.