SPORTS WAGERING RULES
EDUCATION SESSION
SJSU Compliance Office
March 1st & 2nd, 2011
1. Which of the following groups are not
prohibited from placing bets on NCAA
sponsored sports?


D. None of the Above
Per Bylaw 10.3, the following individuals shall not
knowingly participate in sports wagering activities or
provide information to individuals involved in or associated
with any type of sports wagering activities concerning
intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics
competition:
• Staff members of an institution's athletics department;
• Nonathletics department staff members who have
responsibilities within or over the athletics department
(e.g., chancellor or president, FAR, academic advisors);
• Staff members of a conference office; and
• Student-athletes.
2. A student-athlete who is found to have
placed a bet on a team at his/her institution
will be ruled permanently ineligible.

True
 Per Bylaw 10.3.2(a), a student-athlete who
engages in activities designed to influence the
outcome of an intercollegiate contest or in an
effort to affect win-loss margins ("point shaving")
or who participates in any sports wagering
activity involving the student-athlete's institution
shall permanently lose all remaining regularseason and postseason eligibility in all sports.
3. An SJSU athletic department staff
member may place bets on San Jose
Sharks games.


False
Per Bylaw 10.3.1, the prohibition against
sports wagering applies to any institutional
practice or any competition (intercollegiate,
amateur or professional) in a sport in which
the NCAA conducts championship
competition, in bowl subdivision football and
in emerging sports for women, regardless of
whether the institution sponsors the sport.
4. What is the amount of money that the
FBI estimates is illegally wagered on
March Madness each year?


C. $2.5 billion
A recent FBI investigation estimates that
more than $2.5 billion is illegally wagered on
March Madness each year.
5. NCAA rules do not prohibit gambling
on sports in which the NCAA does not
sponsor a championship, such as Boxing.


True
Bylaw 10.3.1 only restricts the prohibition
against sports wagering to any institutional
practice or any competition (intercollegiate,
amateur or professional) in a sport in which
the NCAA conducts championship
competition, in bowl subdivision football and
in emerging sports for women.
Gambling Violation Example #1
FACTS:
 MGF assistant coach was involved in sports wagering
activities on golf practice rounds with student-athletes
(SAs). Specifically, on three occasions, assistant coach
agreed to wager $10 with SAs and on two separate
occasions, assistant coach lost bet and paid SAs.
Assistant coach stated that as a part of team's organized
practice activities, he would frequently join current SAs
during practice rounds to get a better feel for their games
and provide instruction and tips. On a few occasions, a SA
challenged assistant coach to put money on a round.
 SAs understood it was impermissible under NCAA rules to
bet on any NCAA competitions, but given how common
these informal wagers are in sport of golf generally, they
never really gave much thought to an informal wager
during a practice round of golf.
Gambling Violation Example #1,
cont’d…
Corrective Actions Taken:
 Institution required SAs to repay $10 to a charity of
their choice and withheld both SAs from first date of
competition when institution went to Japan.
Institution suspended MGF assistant coach from all
coaching activities for one week, including
institution's first competition in Japan, and will issue
him a letter of reprimand. Institution will conduct an
educational session with men's golf team to discuss
specific issue of sports wagering and application of
NCAA rules in this area.
NCAA Action:
 SAs Eligibility reinstated based on institutional
action requiring donation to charity by each SA in
amount of $10 and withholding both SAs from
institution's first date of competition.
6. Participation in any fantasy league in
which an entry fee is required and there is
an opportunity to win a prize is a violation
of NCAA rules.


True
Per Bylaw 10.02.1, an example of prohibited
sports wagering includes pools or fantasy
leagues in which an entry fee is required and
there is an opportunity to win a prize.
7. The NCAA’s anti-wagering slogan
is:


B. “Don’t bet on it.”
NCAA’s official statement on sports
wagering…“The NCAA opposes all
forms of legal and illegal sports
wagering, which has the potential to
undermine the integrity of sports
contests and jeopardizes the welfare of
student-athletes and the intercollegiate
athletics community.”
8. A player who participates in a
point-shaving scheme could be sent
to prison.



True
Sports bribery is illegal in every state.
Two former members of the Arizona State
basketball team and a student bookie were
convicted of sports bribery in the form of
point-shaving. The student-athletes and the
student bookie received jail time.
9. What is “point-shaving”?

C. Engaging in activities designed to affect
the win-loss margin of a contest.
 Point-shaving is a type of match fixing that
has been seen numerous times in NCAA
sports.
 In the early 1950’s, point-shaving scandals
were discovered that included at least
seven NCAA basketball teams, including
two defending NCAA champions and the
NCAA suspended the Kentucky basketball
program for the 1952-53 season.
10. An athletic department staff member may
participate in a radio or television show
involving predictions of intercollegiate athletics
contests.

False
 Athletics department staff members are
precluded from participating in radio or
television shows involving predictions of
intercollegiate athletics contests related to point
spreads. Further, athletics department staff
members may not participate in a show
primarily for purposes of predicting the outcome
of an intercollegiate athletics contest. [8/24/90
NCAA Staff Interpretation]
11. If you visit a casino in Nevada, where
gambling is legal, you can place a bet on
a National Football League game.


False
Per Bylaw 10.3.1, the prohibition against
sports wagering applies to any institutional
practice or any competition (intercollegiate,
amateur or professional) in a sport in which
the NCAA conducts championship
competition, in bowl subdivision football and
in emerging sports for women; regardless of
where the betting takes place.
12. Which of the following activities are coaches
allowed to participate in under NCAA gambling
rules?


D. None of the Above
Per Bylaw 10.3, coaches, studentathletes and staff members are
prohibited from knowingly participating
in sports wagering activities or providing
information to individuals involved in or
associated with any type of sports
wagering activities concerning
intercollegiate, amateur or professional
athletics competition.
Gambling Violation Example #2
FACTS:
 Assistant Athletic Trainer, Associate AD/Media
Relations and Assistant AD/Broadcasting
participated in a fantasy baseball league. The fee
to enter the league was $80, and plaques were
awarded to the top three finishers at the
conclusion of the MLB season. The staff members
mistakenly thought that it was permissible to
participate in the league because the league did
not award cash prizes.
Gambling Violation Example #2,
cont’d…
Corrective Actions Taken:
 Staff members ceased their participation in
the league and were issued letters of
admonishment. The Director of Compliance
met with all three staff members individually
to discuss sports wagering legislation. The
Compliance Office further emphasized
participation in fantasy leagues as violations
of NCAA legislation in its gambling
reminders throughout the year.
13. It is permissible for a coach to have a
friendly wager with his/her neighbor on
the SJSU-NMSU game because all the
winner gets is dinner.


False
Per Bylaw 10.02.2, a wager is any
agreement in which an individual or entity
agrees to give up an item of value (e.g.,
cash, shirt, dinner) in exchange for the
possibility of gaining another item of value.
14. What is a bookie?


D. An individual through whom bets on
athletics events can be placed.
A bookie can obtain bets through a
number of different ways, including in
person, by phone, or over the internet.
All bets on NCAA sponsored sports are
impermissible, regardless of the way
they are placed.
15. Which of the following are some
characteristics of a compulsive gambler?

D. All of the above
 The NCAA sets forth the following as characteristics of a
compulsive gambler:
 Excessive telephone bills to 900-number services
 Obsession with point spreads
 Unusual interest in obscure games
 Association with other sports bettors
 Shifting allegiances: for/against same team on different days
 Frequently hitting up friends or family for loans
 Extremely defensive when questioned about gambling behavior
 Debts, unpaid bills, financial troubles
 Going to others to get bailed out of desperate financial
situations
 After losing, eager to bet again to get even or ahead
16. Sports wagering is defined as placing,
accepting or soliciting a wager of any type with
any individual or organization on any
intercollegiate, amateur or professional team or
contest.


True
As defined in Bylaw 10.02.1, sports wagering
includes placing, accepting or soliciting a
wager (on a staff member's or studentathlete's own behalf or on the behalf of
others) of any type with any individual or
organization on any intercollegiate, amateur
or professional team or contest.
17. If a coaching staff member has a friend who
is involved in organized gambling activities, it
is OK for the coach to give the friend
information on his/her team’s injuries, so long
as the friend agrees not to bet on the team.

False
 Per Bylaw 10.3, the coach may not provide
information to individuals involved in or
associated with any type of sports wagering
activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur
or professional athletics competition.
Gambling Violation Example #3
FACTS:
 A student-assistant FB coach participated in a fantasy league
that required a $40 entry fee with the potential to earn $300.
The violation was discovered when a member of the athletics
department heard the student-assistant coach comment on
the performance of his fantasy team. No student-athletes or
athletics department employees were involved with the
league.
Corrective Actions Taken:
 Student-assistant coach ceased participation in the fantasy
football league. Although the student-assistant coach was
aware that SA and staff members are bound by NCAA sports
wagering legislation, he did not understand that participation
in fantasy football leagues was prohibited. Additionally, rules
education was provided to the student-assistant coach and
all athletics department staff members regarding bylaw 10.3.
18. Participation in a “Bowl Pool” is
permissible since the bowl games are run
independently of the NCAA.


False
Per Bylaw 10.3.1, the prohibition against
sports wagering applies to any institutional
practice or any competition (intercollegiate,
amateur or professional) in a sport in which
the NCAA conducts championship
competition, in bowl subdivision football and
in emerging sports for women.
19. The NCAA conducts background checks of
officials and umpires in the Division I Men’s and
Women’s basketball tournaments, Division I
football bowl games, the Men’s Frozen Four (ice
hockey) and the College World Series.

True
 The NCAA initiated the background checks
for officials and umpires in an attempt to limit
sports wagering after allegations were raised
against an NBA referee of betting on games
that he was officiating.
20. It is permissible for a coach to
play and bet on web-based poker.


True
NCAA sports wagering legislation
regulates only those sports in which the
NCAA conducts championship
competition, in bowl subdivision football
and in emerging sports for women; it
does not extend to other gambling
activities such as poker, slot machines,
horse racing, etc...
21. While sports wagering is prohibited
by NCAA rules, it is not serious enough to
cause the suspension of a team.


False
In 1985, five Tulane basketball players were
accused of point-shaving in multiple games.
Tulane suspended its basketball program for
four seasons (85-86 through 88-89) because
of the allegations.