Regulators Flag Eastern Michigan Basketball Over Suspicious Betting

Something fishy may be going on in Ypsilanti.

Integrity Compliance 360, a major betting monitor in the US, has flagged an Eastern Michigan men’s basketball game for suspicious betting. The game took place on January 14 against Central Michigan. It is the second game to be flagged this season, with the other coming from a December matchup against Wright State.

The company has contacted the affected sportsbooks to help initiate a full investigation into both games.

Spread Movement Caught Eye of Regulators

The January game in question was flagged due to a significant shift in the spread just before tip-off. Central Michigan opened as a 3.5-point favorite, but that number increased to 6.5 less than an hour before the game began. 

This massive shift is rare in sports betting. With odds for college basketball games going up days in advance, lines often move over time as money starts to pour in. The speed and timing of the move for Central Michigan suggested that big money came late, which led to the game being flagged by Integrity Compliance 360.

Conference Size Adds to Suspicions

While college basketball can attract some big money bets, most come from the league’s biggest conferences. 

Eastern Michigan is a member of the Mid-American Conference, which is one of the smallest in the country. The schools have small fanbases, leading to far less money being wagered. That made the suspicious betting activity easy to notice, drawing the attention of regulators.

Investigation Could Rock the Sports Betting Industry

The investigation into EMU could have a devastating impact on sportsbooks in the US. Lawmakers at every level of government have begun to loudly call for increased regulations on the industry over the last year. Their concern is driven by three factors: Problem gambling, sports integrity, and impact on college athletes.

If there was illegal gambling activity going on with the EMU men’s basketball team, it would hit on all three of those factors. 

 The scandal will give weight power to the pleas of NCAA President Charlie Baker. The top official in college athletics has been begging lawmakers nationwide to crack down on college sports betting. He believes that player prop bets are driving harassment of athletes and threatening the integrity of NCAA leagues.

Some states have heeded Baker's warnings, but many more still offer the controversial bet type. If the EMU scandal is confirmed to be true, the federal government could step in.