TLDR Banned NBA player Jontay Porter wagered more than $50 million at FanDuel over about 18 months, according to The New Yorker. A FanDuel VIP host reportedly kept sending him bonus bets during a five-day Russian ping-pong binge. Porter was up $1 million on ping-pong bets, then down more than $400,000 by the end of the five days. He says he has no memory of a four-day stretch with 144 bets worth $1.2 million. Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Former NBA player Jontay Porter placed more than $50 million in bets at FanDuel over roughly 18 months, according to a new profile in The New Yorker. The story, written by Nick Berardini, traces how his gambling grew over time.
A key detail in the report involves a FanDuel VIP host. The profile says the host kept giving Porter bonus bets during a five-day run of wagers on Russian ping-pong.
The New Yorker account relies in part on Porter’s own description of events. It covers the period from his first large bet through his removal from the league.
How the Betting Grew
According to the profile, Porter’s habit started with day-trading before he moved into sports betting. The shift led to larger and more frequent wagers.
Porter told The New Yorker his first big bet was $125,000 on a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens. That game was played in Week 2 of the 2021 NFL season.
Jontay Porter took out a $500,000 loan on his house and put all of it on Russian ping-pong. He lost it. The house got sold.
In the video below, the former Raptors big man sits down with The New Yorker in a gray