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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Nearly two weeks ago, the Ohio Casino Control Commission granted a request by the NCAA to prohibit prop bets on college athletes.
One of the NCAA’s primary concern regarding college player prop bets was the harassment from bettors of student athletes. Lawmakers and mental health advocates were outspoken in their support for the ban with the sports gambling craze growing and adding even more pressure to student athletes.
Heading into the 2023 season, Buckeyes receiver Emeka Egbuka was no stranger to the big moment. During that season, Egbuka’s big moments meant big money for fans gambling on his statistics or the Buckeyes.
“The one thing Coach Day instills in us is to — whether it’s good news or bad news — tune it out. Especially during the season”, said Egbuka. “You don’t want to be sitting on your high horse when people are giving you praise because you just had the game of your life, and you don’t want to be down in the dumps because they’re ridiculing you for not getting one extra receiving yard, so they didn’t hit their parlay.”
Egbuka said he and fellow teammates had received direct messages on social media pertaining to betting, but said you just have to “brush them off.” “We have great mental health specialists who you can always talk to if things are really eating at you, but the main thing is…just don’t give into it,” said Egbuka.
Now for the 2024 season, no one in Ohio will be allowed to bet on any Buckeyes players individual statistics, which also is in place for March Madness. Running back TreVeyon Henderson has been with the program through the recent evolution of sports gambling. Henderson says he maintains his mental strength by turning off social media comments.
“I turn my comments and stuff off because it doesn’t matter what anybody has to say about me, and all that matters is what the Lord says, so that’s what I try to live by,” said Henderson.
Other reasons the NCAA gave towards banning bets on college athletes include preventing players from betting on themselves and fixing their statistics, with the NCAA claiming that college athletes could be more prone to be addicted to sports betting.
The OCCC reported that less than 2% of sports bets places in Ohio last year were on college player props.