University of Alabama fires coach after suspicious wagering

The University of Alabama has sacked its head baseball coach, Brad Bohannon, following reports of suspicious bets in a game involving his team.

The university claimed Bohannon, who was in his sixth season with Alabama, had violated “the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of university employees” among other things.

The school did not disclose any more of the alleged violations due to an ongoing review of the situation.

Prior to the incident, Ohio Casino Control Commission’s Executive Director Matthew Schuler sent out a directive prohibiting licenced sportsbooks from receiving sports wagers on Alabama baseball games.

Also read: Alabama sports betting

The order was in response to reports of suspicious wagers during the Friday baseball game between the University of Alabama and the top-ranked Louisiana State University.

Alabama lost the game 8-6 despite scoring five runs in the ninth inning.

Alabama ace Luke Holman was initially scheduled to start the game; however, he was taken off just before the match kicked off and replaced by Hagan Banks. Holman has a record of 5-2 from nine starts with a 3.15 E.R.A. The Friday game was Banks’ first since March 16.

Las Vegas-based US Integrity, a firm that monitors unusual wagering patterns, alerted the state regulator of suspicious wagering activity during the game.

Per its website, the company uses “data to see if discrepancies coincide with notable player or coaching events, reveal officiating abnormalities, or are indicative of the misuse of insider information.”

Athletes and employees of athletes are prohibited under NCAA rules from placing bets on games and giving related information to “individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports wagering activities concerning intercollegiate, amateur, or professional athletic competition.”

The association revealed it had been kept up-to-date on the situation and promised to investigate the report. It, however, refrained from informing the public about the ongoing investigation.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board’s chairman, Ronnie Johns, revealed that, upon investigation, no traces of irregular betting activity were found by state officials during the baseball game between Alabama and LSU.

“The operators of all the national sports betting platforms did not report any suspicious activity in Louisiana,” Johns said.

“The issue at hand originated in Ohio alone, and the Ohio Gaming Commision took action to shut down any bets involving Alabama.”

“LSU baseball has absolutely not been implicated in any suspicious betting activity, and therefore there is no investigation of any sort involving LSU.”

The chairman also mentioned two sizable bets made at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, which were placed on LSU to win the game.

During his five-plus seasons with the Alabama team, Bohannon reached 166-124, including the squad’s current 30-15 record. The coach also led Alabama to its first NCAA Regional in 2021 since 2014.

Jason Jackson will take Bohannon’s place as coach on an interim basis. The duo and an athletic trainer were sued last month by a former player for negligence. The plaintiff claimed that they did not handle an injury he sustained adequately.

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