Threats Came From Intoxicated Overseas Bettor Who Lost MLB Wager

A spokesperson for the Houston Police Department (HPD) told multiple outlets that the man, whom they declined to identify, admitted he had bet on a Houston Astros game, lost money, and was intoxicated when he angrily sent threats to McCullers.

The man expressed remorse for his actions and asked that investigators relay his apology to McCullers’ family, the spokesperson said.

Police determined the threats were not credible. However, charges are still being considered, and the case remains open.

 McCullers, 31, said threats to “find my kids and murder them” were sent following his start on May 10 against the Cincinnati Reds. He allowed seven runs and retired just one batter in a 13-9 loss.

“I understand people are very passionate and people love the Astros and love sports, but threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with,” McCullers told reporters postgame.

The Astros hired 24-hour security for McCullers following the threats.

Threats to Athletes Not Limited to Overseas Bettors

McCullers’ incident follows a concerning trend of athletes receiving abuse from angry sports bettors.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks revealed recently that he and his wife had also been subjected to death threats.

“Comments telling me to commit suicide and how you wish I died from cancer is disgusting and vile,” Hendriks, who previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, wrote on Instagram. “Maybe you should take a step back and re-evaluate your life’s purpose before hiding behind a screen, attacking players and their families.”

Appearing on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, the 36-year-old Hendriks said fan abuse is “rampant” in baseball, and that it has only gotten worse since the expansion of legal sports betting.

“Unfortunately, that tends to be what it ends up being — whether it’s Venmo requests, whether it be people telling you in their comments, ‘Hey, you blew my parlay. Go (expletive) yourself’ kind of (stuff),” he said. 

College Player Props Are Banned in Many States

Legal sports betting is now operational in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C. Several of these states have taken measures to protect athletes by restricting the markets on which bettors can wager.

College player proposition bets, for instance, are prohibited in more than a dozen states. Places like New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania have banned them altogether, adhering to requests by NCAA President Charlie Baker. Others prohibit wagers on in-state schools.

A study released by the NCAA in 2024 found that someone with a betting interest had harassed one in three student-athletes.

“The horrific messages we are seeing across online platforms is absolutely unacceptable,” Baker said. “Angry fans are sending numerous abusive messages and threats to  student-athletes, publicly and privately, because of lost bets placed on the athlete’s performance in a game.”

NCAA Considers Lifting Ban on Pro Sports Betting

Despite its strict stance on gambling, the NCAA is reportedly moving closer to easing rules that ban athletes, coaches, and athletic staff members from gambling on professional sports.

The proposal to “deregulate the prohibition” passed by a 21-1 vote by the Division I Board of Directors in April. It has since been forwarded to the D-I council for further discussion. If approved, NCAA members could be allowed to bet on professional sports by June. 

Those same members would still be prohibited from wagering on college sports. 

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This decision, announced by Commissioner Rob Manfred, marks a significant shift in MLB’s approach to historical gambling violations.

Does the MLB Hall of Fame Beckon for Rose and Jackson? 

Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, was banned in 1989 following an investigation that found he bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds, a direct violation of MLB’s strict anti-gambling rules.

Bob Castellini, Principal Owner and Managing Partner of the Cincinnati Reds reacted positively to the news, stating: “On behalf of the Reds and our generations of loyal fans, we are thankful for the decision of Commissioner Manfred and Major League Baseball regarding the removal of Pete Rose from the permanently ineligible list.” 

Jackson, a key figure in the 1919 Black Sox scandal, received a lifetime ban in 1921 for allegedly conspiring to fix the World Series, despite being acquitted of criminal charges.

Manfred’s decision clarifies that permanent ineligibility now ends upon an individual’s death, stating that a deceased person “cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game” and that a lifetime ban serves as a sufficient deterrent.

Both Rose and Jackson are now eligible for Baseball Hall of Fame consideration. Under current Hall of Fame voting procedures, the earliest possible induction is in 2028.

This move comes as legalized sports betting becomes increasingly integrated into the professional sports landscape.

A Wider Shift in Attitude Towards Sports Betting

MLB’s move coincides with the NCAA considering lifting its longstanding ban on professional sports betting for college athletes, coaches, and staff.

If enacted, this policy change would allow these individuals to legally wager on professional sports, such as the MLB, NFL and NBA, while maintaining the prohibition on betting on NCAA-sponsored events.

The Division I Board of Directors voted 21-1 in favor of deregulating professional sports wagering and has forwarded the proposal to the Division I Council for further review. A final decision could be reached as early as late June 2025.

The NCAA’s current rules prohibit all players, coaches, and officials from betting on both professional and collegiate sports that are also played at the college level.

The proposed changes are part of a broader effort to align NCAA policy with the evolving betting landscape and to streamline compliance for member schools.

The prohibition on college sports betting would remain in place to protect the integrity of collegiate competition.

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Matt Bastock

Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter has been sentenced to 57 months in prison after stealing nearly $17 million to repay gambling debts.

John W. Holcomb, the U.S. District Judge who oversaw the trial, sentenced Ohtani to just shy of five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The disgraced interpreter was also ordered to pay nearly $17 million in compensation to the Los Angeles Dodger pitcher and $1.1 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 

Following an initial ESPN investigation in March 2024, Mizuhara was removed from his role as translator/interpreter with the team. The investigation uncovered that he had sent millions in wire transfers from Ohtani’s account to an illegal bookmaker.

Judge Condemns Mizuhara’s Actions

“The magnitude of the theft — $17 million — in my view, is shockingly high,” said the judge when delivering the outcome. Mizuhara had pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return, admitting to the court that he placed around 19,000 bets with the bookmaker over two years and had built up over $40 million in debt. 

“I hope that Mr Mizuhara will be able to repay that sum,” added Holcomb. 

The defendant was ordered to surrender to authorities. Although his attorney, Michael G. Freedman, said he expects the Japanese citizen to be deported at a later date, he will begin his sentence by 24 March 2025.

Mizuhara’s Plea for Mercy

Before being sentenced, Mizuhara spoke briefly, telling the court: “Thank you, your honor, for the opportunity to speak at sentencing. As I noted in my letter, I am truly sorry to Mr Ohtani.”

He added: “In my letter to you, I was not trying to justify my actions in any way, I was trying to show the circumstances of my situation. I am deeply sorry for what I have done, and I beg your mercy and promise that I will make the most of it.”

In a news release, Joseph T. McNally, Acting United States Attorney for the Central District of California, stated: “Mr. Mizuhara had a unique position of trust that gave him power, brought him fame, and paid him well.” 

He continued: “Unfortunately, he exploited this dream job to steal millions of dollars from his friend and confidant. This is a sad tale of an American success story gone wrong — so wrong that Mr. Mizuhara will be spending years inside a prison cell.” 

The defense argued for an 18-month sentence, claiming Mizuhara had a long-standing gambling addiction. Prosecutors countered that there was “minimal evidence” that the interpreter had gambled before he commended stealing from the MLS star. 

Mizuhara placed bets with illegal operator Mathew Bowyer, who is set to be sentenced on 4 April 2025. California-based Bowyer claimed to the New York Post that while Mizuhara was using his services, he was himself an addict, “going to Vegas and betting millions of dollars.” 

The bookmaker used Costa Rican-based offshore wagering platforms and a call center to service bettors. He also said in an interview that he knew Mizuhara was stealing, and despite failing to stop it, he now “feels guilty.” 

Written By

Matt Bastock

Matt is a casino and sports betting expert with over two decades’ writing and editing experience. He loves getting into the nitty gritty of how casinos and sportsbooks really operate in order to make solid recommendations based on real experiences. His favourite games are blackjack and poker, and he loves watching NFL and soccer in his spare time.

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Back in May, Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc, Bally’s Corporation and Oakland A’s owner Athletics Holdings LLC entered into a binding letter of intent to develop a Las Vegas stadium as a new home of the A’s on the site of the current Tropicana – which is owned indirectly by GLPI through its indirect subsidiary Tropicana Land LLC and leased to Bally’s.

The stadium will reportedly complement a casino resort development at the 35-acre property, with the A’s to be granted fee ownership of approximately nine acres of the site for construction of the stadium.

“Today’s approval from Major League Baseball represents an important milestone in the collective effort to bring the Athletics’ franchise to Las Vegas,” commented GLPI.

“We are excited about the opportunity to work with our partners to develop and construct an entertainment and casino resort integrated with the new A’s stadium on Gaming and Leisure Properties’ property to reinvent the site on the south end of the iconic Las Vegas Strip.

“The arrival of the A’s as well as the new stadium and adjacent entertainment and casino resort, both of which are expected to open in 2028, represents a transformational project for Las Vegas, baseball fans, the local community and local employment, which will build on the city’s reputation for delivering unrivalled world-class entertainment options.”

Bally’s and GLPI will transfer the stadium site after various conditions have been fulfilled, in exchange for the benefits that the build is expected to bring to a new integrated casino and entertainment resort that will be developed at the site, Las Vegas, and surrounding areas. 

The A’s will assume all associated design, development, and construction of the stadium costs, while Bally’s will pay all expenses for the entertainment and casino resort and hotel.

Expected to open in 2028, the $1.5bn 30,000-seat ballpark will feature a partially retractable roof and an outfield playing surface that opens to the corner of Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard for a view of the Strip.

John Fisher, Owner and Managing Partner of the Athletics, told MLB.com that the team plans to keep the A’s name following the move to Vegas, but he understands the disappointment for the team’s fans in Oakland.

“I understand the grief and anger and disappointment and sadness that our fans have. We’ve been in Oakland for a very long time, since 1968, and we have very passionate fans. This is a really difficult day for those fans. I think, as the Commissioner said, we felt we had no choice.

“We had to have a new home for the Coliseum, which is the fourth-oldest ballpark in baseball. For the last 20 years, it has shown its age. Up until a couple of years ago, we were focusing exclusively on Oakland to try and find a solution. We started looking at Las Vegas after having conversations with the Commissioner about the need to move the process along faster.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity in Vegas. The fans there are terrific, the success of the Raiders and the Golden Knights as well as our own Triple-A team, the Aviators, has shown just how successful professional sports can be in that market. We really look forward to opening day in 2028 and bringing some of the historical success of the A’s to Las Vegas.”

The A’s will continue playing their home games in Oakland until the end of the 2024 season when their lease at their current home, the Oakland Coliseum, expires. The team will then play at a temporary home between 2025 and 2027 before moving to their new stadium in Vegas in 2028.

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Under the terms of the extended alliance, the casino and entertainment operator will also retain its sports betting partnership status, and will domestically market its brand and gaming options across a variety of league and team platforms

BetMGM will also continue to be recognised as an MLB-authorised gaming operator, and will utilise the official statistics feed throughout both digital and live domestic sports gaming options on a non-exclusive basis.

“It is an exciting day to announce the extension of our partnership with MLB,” stated Matt Prevost, BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer.

“The collaboration with the league allows us to reach new audiences while delivering a best-in-class baseball wagering product. We look forward to growing our industries together.”

The partnership between BetMGM and MLB includes data usage in sports betting, promotion across MLB-owned media platforms, domestic and international activations events, multiple fan experiences, a presenting sponsorship of the Bettor’s Eye digital baseball show on MLB.TV.

Furthermore, MGM’s loyalty program will become the title sponsor of this year’s All-Star Celebrity Softball Game, and presenting sponsor of the first All-Star Saturday Extra Innings musical performance at Dodger Stadium.

MLB, MGM and BetMGM will also continue to cooperate responsible gaming measures and protecting the integrity of the game, both on and off the field.

“We are thrilled to extend and expand upon our groundbreaking work with Major League Baseball,” said Lance Evans, Senior Vice President of Sports & Sponsorships of MGM. 

“We’re incredibly proud of the growth and innovation that have transformed our industries since launching our partnership four years ago, and we’re eager to continue breaking new ground and delivering world-class sports and entertainment experiences for baseball fans worldwide.”

Since becoming MLB’s first gaming and entertainment partner in 2018, MGM and BetMGM have expanded their commitment to baseball by partnering with multiple MLB Clubs on a variety of levels, including with the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.

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The agreement provides the group with immediate access to official MLB league and team marks, logos and data, which it intends to incorporate across its growing portfolio of sports betting products. 

Furthermore, the company will also include these assets as part of a series of content that it is creating for MLB fans, which will be integrated into live MLB game coverage across 19 regional sports networks that account for more than half of the US’ teams

This deal represents Bally’s third sports betting agreement with a professional sports league, following its previously announced agreements with the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association.

“The agreement between Bally’s and MLB offers exciting benefits for baseball fans nationwide,” said George Papanier, president and chief executive officer of Bally’s Corporation. 

“We are honored to have the opportunity to put the Bally’s stamp on America’s national pastime and look forward to providing an innovative and engaging sports betting experience. We can’t wait for the season to begin.”

As part of the agreement, the casino operator and MLB will collaborate on best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of MLB games. MLB opening day is slated for April 1, with all 30 clubs scheduled to play throughout the day.

“As we prepare for the start of the 2021 season, working with Bally’s will present our fans with yet another unique avenue to engage with baseball,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB executive vice president of gaming and new business ventures. 

“Bally’s knows how to provide added entertainment for sports fans across the country, so we look forward to collaborating on new ways of engaging fans around our games.”

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Publishing its national consumer study of over 1,000 ‘self-identified’ American sports fans, DraftKings examined the anticipation for live sport to return, looking at the perspectives and adaptations of modern fandom as a direct result of COVID-19.

“With over half of respondents having reported missing sports during the resultant hiatus, fans across the country are inarguably eager for the return of their favorite leagues and teams, albeit with largely adjusted expectations as exemplified by our latest findings,” said Matt Kalish, co-founder and president, DraftKings North America. 

“By deepening our understanding of the American fan through data and leveraging the technology of our platform, we are better able to adjust and serve the new experience of sports fans throughout the US.”

The survey also highlighted that 56 per cent of respondents only reported taking the developments regarding COVID-19 more seriously once major sports leagues around the US were suspended in the interest of safety.

Following the cancellation of live events, sports fans across the country began their search for a replacement, with over one in four American fans following a new sport. Of those that found a new sport, 67 per cent plan to continue following said sport even as more prominent leagues resume.

Among upcoming season relaunches, 64 per cent of fans said the NBA is their most highly-anticipated sport to watch again, followed by MLB at 48 per cent.

Both leagues are expected to restart later this month. Findings also indicated that approximately 66 per cent of fans feel it important for live sports to return before September, dwarfing the 39 per cent which believe that the return to play is occurring too soon.

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Under the terms of the agreement the group and MLB will also collaborate on responsible gaming, as well as working to develop “best-in-class” practices to protect the integrity of the league’s games.

Furthermore, as part of the new multi-year agreement the mobile sports betting product also gains the right to use official data feed and league marks across its app and nationwide Super 6 free-to-play game.

“We continue to see a great appetite for the Fox Bet app as well as Fox Sports Super 6,” noted Robin Chhabra, chief executive officer of Fox Bet. 

“Having a partnership with MLB enables us to use official MLB data and league marks, providing a better experience for our customers and comes just in time as the league championship series and the World Series kick into high gear.”

Currently operating in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the online and mobile product is the result of a partnership between The Stars Group and Fox Sports, one arm of the Fox Corporation.

“Adding The Stars Group and Fox Bet to our authorized gaming operator program continues our vision for ensuring we are serving fans with opportunity and choice,” added Kenny Gersh, MLB executive vice president of gaming and new business ventures. 

“Our official data feed, including real time and reliable game statistics, and league marks will enable The Stars Group to build unique and engaging gaming products around our sport.”

Earlier this month Stars unveiled a merger agreement alongside Flutter Entertainment, the combination of which will see the creation of the largest online betting and gaming operator globally.

PlayNJ.com reports that, despite brands potentially remaining separate, the merger that encompasses FanDuel and Fox Bet could see the creation of a sports betting behemoth in the Garden State.

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Also permitting liquor companies to enter similar deals, the MLS lauds becoming “the first major pro sports league in US and Canadian team sports” to embrace such highly visible agreements, ahead of its National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League counterparts.

The new guidelines also ensure that youth-sized replica jerseys will not feature these category sponsors and no MLS players under the age of 21 can be included in ads for spirits.

Sports betting and spirits companies can now partner with clubs in a number of ways, including stadium naming-rights, stadium signage, field-board advertising, ad spots and custom programming. 

Furthermore, sports wagering organisations can also set up in private lounges at MLS stadiums or on property adjacent to the stadium.

“We want to be viewed as a progressive league, and provide our clubs with an appropriate level of flexibility,” Carter Ladd, the league’s senior vice president of business development, told Fortune. “We don’t want to be restrictive; we want to enable them in a positive way, and that’s why we’re taking this action… We strongly believe this is going to help drive new revenues.”

Earlier this year the MLS released details of its first official sports betting partnership, as MGM Resorts International deepens its footprint amongst US sports leagues, following previously announced link-ups alongside the NBA and MLB.

Lauded as a historic multi-year strategic partnership, MGM Resorts became the league’s first official gaming partner, with the Roar Digital joint venture, undertaken alongside GVC Holdings, named exclusive official sports betting partner of the MLS.

Under the terms of the agreement, MGM and Roar gained access to enhanced MLS data for fans and sports betting customers, television-visible signage for all 100+ nationally broadcast games, unique MLS-themed promotions and sweepstakes.

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Publishing its newest study on current and future sports betting behaviour, the survey was conducted on behalf of the AGA by Heart + Mind Strategies between November and December 2018, and comprised a total sample of 6,777 interviews among various subgroups.

Headline findings from the new report sees almost eight in ten US citizens say they support legalising sports betting within their state, with in excess of seven in ten emphasising an importance of placing bets through legal and regulated providers, stressing that it is only acceptable to use those providers.

However, where casino sports betting is currently legal and regulated, only 56 per cent of individuals quizzed were aware that that is the case in their respective jurisdiction.

Furthermore, it was revealed that only 41 per cent of Americans know that placing a bet with a bookie is illegal, with security and ease of placing bets places as the top two priorities for future sports wagering participation.

Bill Miller, president and chief executive officer of the American Gaming Association, said of the latest report: “This is one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted on the attitudes and behaviours of sports bettors in America.

“AGA’s research unveils new insights into this critical and growing segment of the gaming market, confirming what we’ve known for a long time: Consumers want the ability to wager in safe, regulated markets.

“With two-thirds of states having taken steps to legalise sports betting, we’re clearly making progress to meet that demand.”

Published as part of the AGA’s first ever sports betting executive summit, the AGA also revealed the level of interest from bettors in the varying sports available as betting options, with the NFL coming out on top, ahead of the MLB and NCAA college football.

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