The University of Notre Dame has suspended its men’s swimming team for at least one year after a recent betting scandal erupted. Fighting Irish swimmers created a sportsbook and wagered on their performances.
The school believes that most of these athletes were involved in the gambling ring. Team members violated numerous NCAA rules involving betting.
I’ll break down the scandal and how it was uncovered. I will also discuss the implications of this incident on sports gambling.
Key Highlights
- The Notre Dame men’s swimming team is suspended for one year after betting on themselves.
- The swimmers started an in-house sportsbook and wagered on their team.
- A gambling team culture fueled the athletes to bet on races.
- Nobody involved is believed to have thrown races to win bets.
How the Betting Ring Worked
Notre Dame swimmers developed a gambling culture dating back to at least the 2023-24 academic year.
The athletes’ wagering intensified to the point where they launched an in-house sportsbook. They did so because no known land-based or online sportsbook provides odds on college swimming.
The swimmers primarily bet amongst themselves on over/under lines involving their times. They also placed wagers on other schools and sports.
Nobody is believed to have influenced races through their performances to win wagers. Nevertheless, the NCAA has strict guidelines on betting—especially when it involves athletes wagering on their own teams.
Head coach Chris Lindauer and his assistants were unaware that their swimmers gambled on races.
An investigation revealed that “team members effectively concealed such behaviors from the coaches and staff through concerted efforts.”
Team Gambling Culture Leads to Investigation
“The external review confirmed and expanded on our initial concerns. These findings are contrary to the University’s values and all that we stand for in Notre Dame athletics.”
– Pete Bevacqua, Notre Dame’s Athletic Director
University officials became concerned with the swimmers’ betting activities after the matter was brought to their attention. They hired law firm Ropes & Gray to investigate the team in June.
Ropes & Gray discovered the gambling ring after reviewing group texts between team members. It also determined that most of the team bet on races to varying extents.
“The external review confirmed and expanded on our initial concerns,” said athletic director Pete Bevacqua. “These findings are contrary to the University’s values and all that we stand for in Notre Dame athletics.”
Will the Punishment Extend Beyond a 1-Year Suspension?
Notre Dame noted that the “minimum” punishment is a one-year suspension. However, the swimmers could face more repercussions from the school or NCAA.
NCAA betting rules are the most severe for athletes who wager on their own teams. A 2023 update on the rules suggests these players could “potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports.”
The involved ND swimmers could transfer to another university. However, potential further penalties would follow them to any new school.
A Huge Blow for a Promising Swim Team
Notre Dame is an up-and-comping swim program, achieving the school’s first top-10 NCAA finish last March. It also sent its first male athlete, Chris Guiliano, to the Olympics.
Guiliano competed in the 50-, 100-, and 200-meter freestyles while winning a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay event.
In his third season as head coach, Lindauer hoped for continued success in the 2024-25 season. However, the betting scandal ensures that his team won’t compete this year.
He remains the head coach of the women’s swimming and diving teams, which were not involved in the wagering.
The Sports Betting Industry Will Likely Be Unaffected
Sports gambling scandals are nothing new in the US. Everything from the 1919 Black Sox to Pete Rose has inspired fears of sports degradation due to betting.
However, the US Supreme Court overlooked these fears when overturning PASPA in May 2018. Since then, many states have legalized sports wagering and launched regulated markets.
I don’t expect the Notre Dame men’s swim team to change this situation. Some state legislatures might file this incident away—among many others—for future regulations.
However, it likely won’t have a significant impact because the athletes weren’t throwing races. Contrast this situation to something like the 1951 college basketball point-shaving scandal, where 20 players were discovered to be fixing games.
The largest impact will be felt by Notre Dame and its swimmers for a betting culture that grew out of control.
Sources
https://www.si.com/college/sources-notre-dame-suspends-mens-swimming-program-one-year-after-gambling-investigation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Sports_betting_scandals
http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=merron/060207
