ON TODAY'S SCORECARD
You Can’t Bet On It
The NFL sent a memo to team officials Thursday outlining prop bet restrictions with its betting partners in the wake of federal investigations that have brought criminal charges against members of the NBA and MLB regarding integrity-threatening gambling scandals.
The NFL's memo states that the league has worked with state lawmakers, regulators and sports betting partners to limit and, where possible, prohibit prop bets in the NFL.
"Our commercial agreements are regularly reviewed and updated to prohibit wagers that are tied to the kind of conduct that was identified in recent federal law enforcement activity," the memo reads, "and we maintain regular contact with state officials to ensure that these wagers are appropriately addressed."
Also in the memo are prohibited wager categories, which the league describes as such:
• Inherently Objectionable: Markets or bets that are inherently or designed to be derogatory or inflammatory, or otherwise based on subject matter against public policy (e.g., player injuries, fan safety, misconduct, etc.).
• Officiating-Related: Markets or bets based on officials or officiating (e.g., officiating assignments, penalties, replays, etc.).
• Determinable by One Person: In One Play: Based on outcomes 100% determinable by one person in one play (e.g., kicker to miss FG attempt, QB’s first pass to be incomplete, etc.).
• Pre-Determined: Pre-determined outcomes directly related to on-field competition (e.g., Will QB start this week? Will team’s first play from scrimmage be a run or pass, etc.).
ESPN's David Purdum reported Thursday, however, that no significant changes to current NFL betting menus are expected at sportsbooks.
In other words, the prop bets outlined above mostly pertain to types of wagers the league has already made clear it doesn't want sportsbooks to offer.
NFL officials dove into measures the shield is taking to protect the integrity of the game. Those include the assignment of former law enforcement officials to each team in order to monitor suspicious activity. The memo also highlighted a "a specialized NFL unit" that oversees insider threats and social media with the intention of flagging illegal behavior.
Notably, the NFL suspended five players for gambling violations in 2023, including Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams.
Williams was one of four Lions players punished, although he was the only one not to be released in the aftermath of the off-field drama.
Williams wound up serving a six-game suspension for betting on college football games while at the Lions' facility. Players and personnel are forbidden from taking part in any form of gambling when "in any club or league facility, or venue, including the practice field," per NFL policy.
Fellow NFL wideout Calvin Ridley, then with the Atlanta Falcons, was suspended the entire 2022 season for betting on NFL games in 2021. It was reported that Ridley placed wagers on a series of parlays that included other sports but also Falcons games. He was playing for the Falcons that season but was away from the team when he reportedly bet on games.
Back then, Ridley was just the league's fifth player suspended for betting on NFL games, joining a list that previously consisted of only Arizona Cardinals defensive back Josh Shaw (2019), Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alex Karras (1963), Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung (1963) and Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts quarterback Art Schlichter (1983).
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. | 
