MLB, sportsbooks cap bets on individual pitches in response to pitch rigging scandal

Major League Baseball (MLB) announced new betting restrictions following recent indictments involving two Cleveland Guardians pitchers accused of rigging pitches for gamblers. Starting immediately, authorized gaming operators will cap bets on individual pitches at $200 and exclude these bets from parlays.

These limits were agreed upon by sportsbook operators representing more than 98% of the U.S. betting market. According to MLB, pitch-level bets—such as those focusing on pitch velocity or whether a pitch results in a ball or strike—pose heightened integrity risks. This is because they involve one-off events determined by a single player, often inconsequential to the overall game outcome.

“The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct,” MLB stated. “The creation of a strict bet limit on this type of bet, and the ban on parlaying them, reduces the payout for these markets and the ability to circumvent the new limit.”

The announcement comes a day after Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn. They face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. According to the indictment, the players took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches.

Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, issued a statement asserting his client’s innocence: “He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game—not for anyone and not for anything.” Similarly, Clase’s attorney, Michael J. Ferrara, described his client as a dedicated athlete: “Emmanuel has devoted his life to baseball and doing everything in his power to help his team win. He is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

The context of this development traces back to a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, thereby allowing states to legalize sports betting nationwide.

MLB’s new measures aim to safeguard the integrity of the game and restore public confidence in the sport amid evolving challenges related to legalized sports wagering.
https://whdh.com/news/mlb-sportsbooks-cap-bets-on-individual-pitches-in-response-to-pitch-rigging-scandal/

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