Arizona Cardinals cornerback Josh Shaw, who was suspended by the NFL for the remainder of the 2019 season and the entire 2020 season for betting on NFL games, reportedly bet against his own team as part of a three-team parlay.
Shaw, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this year after suffering a shoulder injury, placed a parlay bet on Sunday, Nov. 10 at a Caesars sportsbook in Las Vegas, according to ESPN. The bet was on the second-half lines of three Week 10 games, and included a bet against the Cardinals. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were hosting the Cardinals on that Sunday, and led the Cardinals, 17-13, at halftime. The Buccaneers were 1-point favorites in the second half, but failed to cover the spread. Tampa Bay still won the matchup, 30-27.
The NFL declined to comment on specifics of the wagers, with a league spokesman telling ESPN that neither the type of bet nor the games involved matter in terms of the league's gambling policy. The league also said its investigation found no evidence that Shaw used inside information to make his bets nor that any games were compromised.
ESPN reports that Caesars contacted the Nevada State Gaming Control Board the same day Shaw placed the bet. He was open about who he was, and even listed "professional football player" when asked for his occupation while filling out an application for a betting account with Caesars.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement on Shaw's suspension last week:
"The continued success of the NFL depends directly on each of us doing everything necessary to safeguard the integrity of the game and the reputations of all who participate in the league. At the core of this responsibility is the longstanding principle that betting on NFL games, or on any element of a game, puts at risk the integrity of the game, damages public confidence in the NFL, and is forbidden under all circumstances. If you work in the NFL in any capacity, you may not bet on NFL football."
Shaw is the first player to get suspended by the NFL for gambling in 36 years, with the last player to serve a suspension being Art Schlichter. The former Baltimore Colts quarterback bet his $350,000 signing bonus on football games, but not Colts games. Schlichter lost $489,000 betting on basketball games and told the NFL he feared the bookies would force him to throw games, cooperating in an investigation with the FBI. Despite being suspended indefinitely, Schlichter was reinstated in 1984.
