Alabama Fires Baseball Coach Amid Betting Probe

University of Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon has been fired amid an inquiry into suspicious betting activity surrounding the team.

Bohannon, who has been Alabama’s head coach since 2017, was terminated for “among other things, violating the standards, duties, and responsibilities expected of University employees,” the university said Thursday, citing an ongoing review.

Multiple outlets report that the scope of the investigation centered around the coach and no student-athletes were involved.

Pennsylvania joined Ohio and New Jersey in ordering sportsbooks to halt wagering on Crimson Tide baseball after spotting unusual betting activity during Alabama’s game against LSU last Friday. The alleged suspicious bets took place inside the BetMGM Sportsbook at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. 

According to ESPN, the investigation from Ohio’s casino commission stems from two bets on LSU to win placed by the same unidentified customer. LSU won Friday’s game, 8-6.

The Southeastern Conference has also launched an investigation. 

“As many states have acted to legalize sports gambling, we are reminded of the threats gambling may pose on competitive integrity,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. 

Next week marks the five-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, also known as PASPA, allowing states to legalize sports betting. In April, the NFL suspended five players for violations related to the league’s gambling policy.