Blazers coach Chauncey Billups arrested by FBI for illegal gambling

[itrsteve]

This will make a hell of a American Greed episode on CNBC

[The Sebastian Express]

Thinking that Trump gives a crap about an NBA coach is absolutely absurd. Billups is so low level that it honestly is absurd thinking the president would go after him because he is mad at Portland

You drastically underestimate the pettiness of the this administration. Trump may not personally care about the details, but underlings who take pot shots at his enemies end up promoted.

The administration has far juicer targets than Billups to go after in Portland if they want to be petty.
Listening to the press conference, Billups is absolutely cooked, he's likely headed to jail for a good few years now.

And again, I'd be terribly surprised if this is an investigation that started with this administration.

[Peregrine01]

Keep letting gambling pervade everything in American society.

[Billl]

Thinking that Trump gives a crap about an NBA coach is absolutely absurd. Billups is so low level that it honestly is absurd thinking the president would go after him because he is mad at Portland

You drastically underestimate the pettiness of the this administration. Trump may not personally care about the details, but underlings who take pot shots at his enemies end up promoted.

The administration has far juicer targets than Billups to go after in Portland if they want to be petty.
Listening to the press conference, Billups is absolutely cooked, he's likely headed to jail for a good few years now.

That's the thing with petty. It doesn't matter if it's big or small.

[DutchCanuck]

Over poker? Are we being for real? Not even anything related to the NBA?

FBI do better. Mind your business and go do something more important.

Over high stakes poker games with people involved in the Mafia. You can see how if either Billups or Rozier ended up being down millions to these guys they could easily agree to throwing games to make up for their losses.

It's a slippery slope so I understand why it is a big deal to them.

Spot on.

[bonita_the_frog]

I just don’t understand how greedy a person would have to be to make millions per year and start gambling on the side.

One of the most dangerous yet underrated addictions to man.

I gamble for 30 years , my father gambled my grandfather gambled , all was well financially including me

Call me an addict while I smile and live my happy life

To the previous poster , gambling is not about money , it’s about a thrill often , you can’t understand if you never gambled same way as you can’t understand a drug user or an alcoholic or a women who likes to dress fancy

Thanks for this insight, I've never brushed shoulders with a gambler, but from the outside I don't understand why anyone would call Michael Jordan a gambler.
As far as we know, based on the amounts of money he's rumored to have placed bets with, he's never bet enough money to qualify as a "gamble" for him.
So what thrill does Jordan get, since it can't be financial, right?
I get the impression Jordan is telling the truth when he says "I have competition problem, not a gambling problem".

[Im Coming Home]

I can't believe the Toronto rangers were involved

Rangers yes but not a word about Raptors

Can't believe he flubbed that lol.

[TimDunkin]

Read on Twitter

This is not just an ordinary sports betting scandal, it's something far bigger than that.

hmmmm the "defrauded" part is interesting. Seems like there was cheating/collusion involved and not simply the house collecting rake.

They're saying they used electronic devices to track hands. Modified shuffling machines sent the information to someone, that person then sent the information to someone playing at the table, who relayed it to everyone else at the table except the victim. Also using x-ray tables and contact lenses that could see marks on cards. Wild stuff.

[OriAr]

You drastically underestimate the pettiness of the this administration. Trump may not personally care about the details, but underlings who take pot shots at his enemies end up promoted.

The administration has far juicer targets than Billups to go after in Portland if they want to be petty.
Listening to the press conference, Billups is absolutely cooked, he's likely headed to jail for a good few years now.

And again, I'd be terribly surprised if this is an investigation that started with this administration.

Investigation was made public on January 30th so yes it started under the previous administration.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Gambling is by far the worst thing sports could be in bed with. Even worse than performance-enhancing substances. It undermines the public’s faith that the sport is legitimate across the board.

[Indomitable]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=xOB22xGd85UcfRRu6zUm4w

Silver opened up this black hole.

It was for poker

[ArksNetsSince99]

I can't believe the Toronto rangers were involved

Rangers yes but not a word about Raptors

Can't believe he flubbed that lol.

It was funny made for my morning dose of laugh

[BodieB]

Damn...who snitching?

[-Luke-]

Read on Twitter

This is not just an ordinary sports betting scandal, it's something far bigger than that.

hmmmm the "defrauded" part is interesting. Seems like there was cheating/collusion involved and not simply the house collecting rake.

They're saying they used electronic devices to track hands. Modified shuffling machines sent the information to someone, that person then sent the information to someone playing at the table, who relayed it to everyone else at the table except the victim. Also using x-ray tables and contact lenses that could see marks on cards. Wild stuff.

Damn, looks like I was in the wrong poker games so far (or I'm the victim).

[jbsays]

Doesn't sound like Billups gambling had anything to do with NBA games. For "integrity" of the sport, Rozier and Jones was much worse.

The games Billups participated in were illegal. If I'm understanding correctly, the games were fixed by Billups and la costa nostra. If the games were illegal, doesn't that mean the marks getting taken in the scheme were also involved in illegal activity? Maybe I'm obtuse, but what's the big deal here? House always wins so if people want to piss away their money it's going to happen whether its a card game at a hotel hosted by Tony Soprano or the Hard Rock Casino. How are the people who lost money in these illegal games considered victims? Isn't it like someone buying $500k of an illegal drug getting fake product instead of the real thing or paying a fake hitmen $50k to commit a murder?

[Indomitable]

He was involved in illegal poker. What does that have to do with fanduel?

It's a joke poking fun that gambling is is becoming an issue in the NBA around the same time the NBA is embracing betting.

You think guys weren't illegal betting before it become legal? At least now it's regulated and they can catch these guys.

Catch this guys?

What does this even mean?

[PushDaRock]

Read on Twitter

This is not just an ordinary sports betting scandal, it's something far bigger than that.

hmmmm the "defrauded" part is interesting. Seems like there was cheating/collusion involved and not simply the house collecting rake.

They're saying they used electronic devices to track hands. Modified shuffling machines sent the information to someone, that person then sent the information to someone playing at the table, who relayed it to everyone else at the table except the victim. Also using x-ray tables and contact lenses that could see marks on cards. Wild stuff.

lol damn, you know there's at least some cheating at these high stakes private games but this is one of the more sophisticated setups I've seen.

[Billl]

The administration has far juicer targets than Billups to go after in Portland if they want to be petty.
Listening to the press conference, Billups is absolutely cooked, he's likely headed to jail for a good few years now.

And again, I'd be terribly surprised if this is an investigation that started with this administration.

Investigation was made public on January 30th so yes it started under the previous administration.

There is investigating and there is criminally charging. They charged him for running an illegal poker game connected to the mob. But apparently didn't charge anyone from the mob that he was supposedly conspiring with. That's pretty selective prosecution at this point.

[celtics543]

So was Chauncey in on the scheme or was he the victim?

[Pointgod]

holy cowwwww

this is giving me new season of the Wire vibes for some reason lmao

oh, it's regarding some mafia poker game scheme?? now actually what the fudge

Follow the money McNulty!