The man who placed bets with a BetMGM Sportsbook at the Cincinnati Reds ballpark in connection with former Alabama baseball head coach Brad Bohannon is a former high school baseball coach, said multiple sources told Action Network on Friday.
Bohannon was on the phone with the former coach, whose identity has not been disclosed, when a decision to remove the team’s top pitcher was made ahead of a game against LSU on April 28.
Alabama sophomore Luke Holman — who led the team’s starters in strikeouts and ERA — was sidelined hours before the game with what the team called it a back injury. Instead, reliever Hagan Banks was inserted to face the No. 1 team in the nation. Banks hadn’t started a game in over a month.
While there are normally limits on college baseball games – usually around $500 – these limits are usually limited to online sports betting apps.
In person, with money, these same rules do not apply. That’s why this former travel ball coach was able to place substantial bets on the LSU moneyline (which closed at -245) and a bet that included gambling, sources said.
LSU took an 8-1 lead and suppressed five unanswered runs from Alabama en route to the 8-6 victory.
There is no evidence that any student-athlete on Bohannon’s team knew of his betting connection or participated in any way.
After the game, US Integrity — an independent firm focused on monitoring insider information and referee compliance in the betting markets — reported to its sports betting partners about the particular betting activity.
On this information, the Ohio Casino Control Board halted betting on all Alabama baseball games. The OCCC is currently investigating, seeking the cooperation of all sportsbooks to find out just how widespread this was, sources told Action Network.
Pennsylvania, Indiana and New Jersey have so far joined Ohio in banning all betting on Alabama baseball.
Although betting on inside information is not regulated by any federal agency – as is the case with financial markets – leaking information to third parties as a coach, staff member or player can be punitive. . Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison for selecting picks with a bookmaker during his last two seasons on the job.
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