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In response to serious allegations involving pitch manipulation, MLB and its partnering sportsbooks have taken decisive action. Following the indictment of two Major League Baseball pitchers accused of rigging pitches for betting purposes, the league announced on Monday a new limit on wagers.
Authorized betting operators will now restrict bets on pitch-level markets to a maximum of $200 across all US states.
These “micro” bets, which include wagers on whether the next pitch will be a ball or a strike or predicting the speed of a specific pitch, will also be excluded from parlay betting options. The approved sportsbook partners of MLB, such as FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and bet365, represent over 98% of the regulated sports betting market in the US.
MLB stated that the purpose of these new measures is to reduce integrity risks associated with single-pitch betting while ensuring the transparency of the regulated betting environment.
New limit follows Ortiz and Clase’s suspension
The recent betting cap comes just days after federal prosecutors revealed an indictment involving Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz.
Both players face multiple charges related to their suspected involvement in a gambling scheme that allegedly involved manipulating individual pitches to influence the outcome of bets.
“Most prop bets present limited integrity risk because they take into account multiple events that are influenced by more than one actor,” said the league in Monday’s statement. “However, ‘micro-bet’ pitch-level markets (e.g., ball/strike; pitch velocity) present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game.
“The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct. The creation of a strict bet limit on this type of bet, and the ban on parlaying them, reduces the payout for these markets and the ability to circumvent the new limit.”
MLB commissioner and Ohio governor in agreement
Following the Guardians scandal, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has voiced strong support for banning “micro bets” due to the risks they pose to the integrity of sports.
He called on the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) to take action against such wagers. DeWine noted that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had indicated the league was also considering measures to address these concerns.
“I commend Ohio Governor DeWine for his leadership on this issue over the last several months,” stated Manfred in Monday’s release. “I also commend the industry for working with us to take action on a national solution to address the risks posed by these pitch-level markets, which are particularly vulnerable to integrity concerns.”
In response to MLB’s actions, DeWine commended both Manfred and the league’s partners for their efforts to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the game and reduce the temptation for players to engage in unethical betting practices.
This is not the first time a major league will be collaborating with sportsbooks to limit certain betting markets. For instance, in October 2024, after the banning of Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter for game manipulation related to betting, some sportsbooks agreed to stop offering ‘under’ prop bets on NBA players on two-way or 10-day contracts.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and major sportsbooks on board
FanDuel President Christian Genetski commended the MLB for the decision to introduce the bet limit, highlighting the industry’s commitment to eliminating abuses and integrity threats.
“Recent events across professional sports demonstrate that the legal, regulated sports betting industry is working as intended, promoting transparency, accountability, and protecting the integrity of sport,” a DraftKings spokesperson told SBC Americas in a statement. “In collaboration with Major League Baseball, we have adjusted certain bet types to further deter bad actors while helping maintain fairness and trust in the game.”
“The legal sports betting market was designed to be collaborative with regulators, leagues and lawmakers in order to provide a safe betting experience for sports fans,” a rep at Fanatics also stated.
“At Fanatics, we believe that addressing pitch-level markets with Major League Baseball is a way to show that the legal market is working, as well as, a prudent step to protect the integrity of our national pastime.”
Source: SBC Americas
