The NCAA investigation ruled three former Fresno State players, Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez, and Jalen Weaver, as permanently ineligible after discovering that they were involved in sports betting. The ruling underscores the NCAA’s ongoing efforts to address gambling violations across college athletics.
Together, Robinson, Vasquez, and Weaver placed approximately $2,200 in wagers and collected around $15,950 in winnings. This came after Robinson under-performed against statistical lines, with the profits split among them. In other words, the investigation determined that Robinson purposely played poorly so that he would go under his prop lines.
Robinson placed 13 individual bets on his own player props through daily fantasy platforms, with stakes as high as $454, including a parlay that paid out $618. In a separate case, Robinson shared betting line information with Weaver, who placed a $50 parlay involving Robinson and another student-athlete, winning $260.
Robinson averaged 10.3 points (6th on the team), while Weaver put up 12.5 points per game (2nd) for Fresno State in 2024. These were key contributors to Fresno State. By playing heavy minutes for the team, they were able to manipulate their stat lines easily.
During that season, Vasquez transferred to San Jose State, where he played sparingly, averaging only eight minutes per game and putting up 2.1 points. Vasquez’s minor role on the court indicates that he was more of a bettor on Robinson and Weaver than someone who played poorly on purpose.
The Fresno State case is part of a broader NCAA inquiry, with at least nine schools currently under review for unusual betting activity. These violations center on strict rules that prohibit athletes from wagering on their own games or individual performances.
Other schools involved include:
Although the NCAA adjusted its policy in 2023 to allow for possible reinstatement under certain circumstances, permanent ineligibility remains the standard penalty for athletes found guilty of betting on themselves. In other words, these players are unable to play NCAA college basketball ever again.
The Fresno State scandal highlights why many states have moved to ban player prop bets on college athletes. Cases like this show how individual stat-based wagers can incentivize athletes to manipulate their own performances. By intentionally underperforming to cash in on prop bets, players were able to directly influence outcomes tied to gambling markets.
To reduce risks of point shaving, match-fixing, and harassment of student-athletes, at least 17 states, including New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Massachusetts, have banned sportsbooks from offering individual player props on college athletes. These restrictions aim to protect the integrity of competition while shielding young athletes from gambling-related pressures.
The NCAA has supported these measures, arguing that eliminating prop bets on college players is a key step in safeguarding both the fairness of games and the well-being of student-athletes.
The one issue with the Fresno State scandal is that these players used DFS platforms to place these wagers. These operators are able to operate in states without regulated sports betting due to a loophole, in which they call their features “daily fantasy sports” instead of betting.
Cases like this highlight why states like California are scrutinizing daily fantasy sports.
