In yet another sports gambling scandal in 2025, longtime MLB umpire, Pat Hoberg has found himself in hot water.
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MLB Umpire Pat Hoberg Fired For Having Sports Betting Account
Major League Baseball made the decision to part ways with Hoberb on February 2, after an investigation found the umpire guilty of sharing an online sport gambling account with one of his friends who was a professional poker player and also bet on baseball.
In a statement released by the League on Monday, MLB said that Hoberg failed to "uphold the integrity of the game."
"The disciplinary action was taken due to Hoberg's failure to uphold the integrity of the game by sharing sports betting accounts with a professional poker player and friend who bet on baseball and whom Hoberg should have known bet on baseball, and due to Hoberg's intentional deletion of messages central to MLB's investigation into his conduct," MLB said in the statement.
MLB’s statement regarding an appeal process in accordance with its CBA on a decision by MLB to terminate umpire Pat Hoberg’s employment. This action was taken due to Hoberg’s failure to uphold the integrity of the game by sharing sports betting accounts with a poker player. pic.twitter.com/HdSCyH3uKS
— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) February 3, 2025
Mavericks Star Sounds Off on Sports Gambling
The emergence of online sports gambling has become intertwined with how the games are consumed by fans. Online sports betting is currently legalized in more than 26 states, with more likely to come. But its popularity has become overwhelming for some people.
In some cases, the gambling odds are promoted during the games. During NBA on TNT broadcasts, "Inside the NBA" hosts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley make live gambling picks sponsored by FanDuel. Some believe that the emergence of online gambling is good for the sport, but Mavs star Kyrie Irving believes it has taken the "purity" away from basketball.
"Gambling and sports betting has completely taken the purity and the fun away from the game at times. I am gonna just be honest with y'all," Irving said via Sports Illustrated.
"There is a difference between being a diehard fan and supporting your team and loving your team versus somebody that's betting on a parlay. ... Do not get me wrong. I do not want anybody wasting their money on me. But goddang this whole community of gamblers has come into the game of basketball."
