Billups and Rozier Arrested in NBA Sports Betting Scandal

Major Sports Updates and Developments

Messi's Extension with Inter Miami

Lionel Messi has signed a contract extension with Inter Miami, keeping the legendary player in South Florida until 2028. This move ensures that the GOAT will continue to play for the club as he approaches his 41st birthday.

Chargers' Dominant Performance

The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 37-10 on "Thursday Night Football." Quarterback Justin Herbert and running back Kimani Vidal were standout performers, with Herbert throwing for 289 total yards and three touchdowns, while Vidal recorded 127 total yards and a touchdown.

NBC's Strong NBA Opening Night

Tuesday's "NBA Tip-Off" on NBC averaged 5.6 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched opening night doubleheader since LeBron James' debut with the Miami Heat in 2010.

Marathon Star Banned

Ruth Chepng'etich, the women's marathon world record holder, has been banned for three years after admitting to a doping violation. The Kenyan runner set a new world record of 2:09:56 at the Chicago Marathon last year.

Pro Bowl Moves to Primetime

In an effort to promote its flag football initiatives ahead of the 2028 Olympics, the NFL is moving this season's Pro Bowl from the Sunday before the Super Bowl to primetime Tuesday.

NBA Scandal Involving Rozier and Billups

Just three days into the new NBA season, the focus shifted to a potential off-court scandal involving illegal gambling activity. Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups were among 34 people arrested by the FBI in connection with two different criminal cases. They face charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy and have been placed on immediate leave from their teams.

Operation Nothing But Net

Rozier was one of six people, along with former player and coach Damon Jones, named in this case for allegedly passing inside information to win sports bets between December 2022 and March 2024, including a 2023 game in which Rozier left early with a fake injury to win thousands worth of prop bets on his "unders."

Operation Royal Flush

Billups was among the 31 people named in a case involving rigged poker games dating back to 2019 in which the Mafia was involved. Billups (and Jones, also named here) was used to lure unsuspecting players into these rigged games. Billups, though not named in the sports betting indictment, matches the description of a co-conspirator.

Baseball's Resurgence

World Series Begins in Toronto

The World Series begins tonight in Toronto, capping off a season that has shown baseball — across all levels of the sport — is in its healthiest spot in a long time.

Growing Popularity of Baseball

MLB's total attendance this season (71.4 million fans) increased for the third consecutive year, which hadn't happened since 2005-07. That growing popularity could be seen over the airwaves and other digital channels, too.

Increased Viewership

Postseason games drew an average of 4.33 million viewers through the Division Series, a 30% increase over last year and the highest in 15 years. Similar high-water marks were seen during the regular season, where TBS (highest viewership since 2011), ESPN (2013) and Fox (2022) all drew big numbers, too.

Streaming and Social Media Growth

A record 19.39 billion minutes were watched on MLB.TV, which saw seven of its 10 most-watched games ever take place this year. MLB's social media pages garnered a record 17.8 billion views this year and the MLB app had its most-trafficked season ever.

Factors Behind Baseball's Boom

Pitch Clock Implementation

The implementation of the pitch clock has significantly reduced game lengths, averaging just 2:38 this season. This has made games more accessible to fans, allowing them to watch without it taking over their entire evening.

New Rules and Star Power

New rules such as larger bases, limiting pickoffs and banning the shift have led to more steals, more balls in play and a generally more exciting game. The presence of star players like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani has also contributed to the sport's resurgence.

Weekend Watchlist

World Series

The 121st World Series begins this weekend with Game 1 and Game 2 in Toronto. Will Los Angeles become MLB's first repeat champion since 2000? Or will Toronto capture its first ring since 1993?

NFL Week 8

With six teams on bye, including four that are over .500, Sunday is relatively light on marquee games. Among the best offerings: Denver vs. Dallas in a matchup of teams that are a step away from being contenders and Aaron Rodgers' first game vs. the Packers.

NCAA Football Week 9

Saturday's slate is headlined by three ranked matchups, including Vanderbilt's first game as a top-10 team since 1947.

MLS Playoffs

Round One begins tonight with the first best-of-three series, as Lionel Messi and No. 3 Inter Miami host No. 6 Nashville.

Other Highlights

NBA Opening Weekend

The first weekend of games tips off tonight with Prime Video's first-ever NBA games: Celtics at Knicks and Timberwolves at Lakers.

El Clásico

Real Madrid hosts Barcelona on Sunday in the first El Clásico of the season.

NHL and NASCAR

The NHL and NASCAR playoffs feature several key matchups, with Colorado leading the league with 13 points.

Football Trivia

Eight States Without FBS Programs

Can you name the eight states that don't have an FBS program? Half are on one side of the Mississippi River, half are on the other.

Jets Fans Deserve Amnesty

Jets fans have it pretty rough, with this season's 0-7 start just the latest in a string of organizational failures. For this team only, and this season only, we're lifting the societal scorn on bandwagon-jumping.

Trivia Answer

Alaska, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont

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