Is the Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal just the tip of the iceberg with legalized sports betting?

Tom Giles and John Tomase join Trenni Casey on Arbella Early Edition to react to the latest in the scandal surrounding Shohei Ohtani, his former interpreter and alleged gambling issues. Then, Albert Breer joins to discuss where this story could be going and how it ties in to the continued legalization of sports gambling in the U.S. and the increasing ties between professional sports leagues and sports betting companies.

[@mikechar17]

Do you think that the interpreter was doing in and making 500k bets? bahhaahhaha

[@tristanerojo2064]

exactly! this story just do not add up.

[@ChocolateMilk1978]

You’ve nailed it! No bookie is giving a guy that makes 300k an opportunity to rack up a 4:5 mil debt.

[@adotintheshark4848]

if people believe that Shohei wasn't in on some of that action , then people are really stupid.

[@user-lk5se8jx3x]

My Ohtani cards are gonna go worthless if Ohtani was part of this

[@ManWhoLaughs2311]

Yes it is...the second you allow betting is the same time it stops being a sport and starts being a business. Those obvious bad calls, that penalty flag for nothing, it's all rigged to pay the bookies.

[@Asop4]

Shohei was getting 100000yen ($1000) back then monthly from his parents during his Nippon Ham fighters era. His salary was already astronomical. But he couldn't even spend all those $1000 monthly budget It added up to $2,2000.00 This guy's view on money is very different than the most of us, Americans. He drove Sonata. Yeah F1@#!$ Sonata when he started playing for Angels until Porche sponsored him. When Japanese journalist asked him why Sonata? Shohei answered it" Sonata is a nice car". Do not speculate anything. This isn't even ILLEGAL if he went to YANKEES or ORIOLES. IPPEI didn't bet on baseball. SO what's the big deal?

[@k9spjack]

How do you know that he didn't bet on MLB?!

[@mikelucas4247]

​@@k9spjackit would be obvious. Their is an on-going federal investigation for the illegal bookie. There definitely would have the paper trails of all his bets placed so far

[@user-wr9lh4ly1n]

I remember when he started playing in MLB he said he doesn't need money but it is his dream to play in MLB, and his income was low at the beginning. I don't think he's greedy or even interested in betting, he's probably far from it.. especially when he's promised to receive 700M

[@ChocolateMilk1978]

@@mikelucas4247 yep and it’ll all come out soon enough. The wire transfer of money to an illegal bookie in the state of California is illegal, so he’s already broken one law. Wait until they uncover the rest. Bye bye Ohtani

[@mikechar17]

Ohtani is worth about 40 million cash. This is 10% of his total worth. The interpreter probably has a new worth of about 500K-1M. Cant even make those bets. "The Dodgers will pay Ohtani $700 million over the next 20 years. This is structured as $2 million in salary paid each year for the next 10 years while Ohtani is actually wearing Dodger blue, and $68 million in deferred compensation paid every July 1 from 2034 to 2043."

[@martinalbert29]

Here is the most likely story: Interpreter lost 4.5M in bets and it was allowed to get there because he told bookies Shohei would cover for him. Shohei then covered for him. Because betting is illegal in CA, so the Dodgers got involved and instructed Shohei to fire interpreter and change story to say the money was stolen from him.

[@Jeffgordonfan24hesthegoat]

No bookie is covering someone with a rich friend unless that’s Elon 😂

[@andrewd2652]

That’s not likely at all lol. don’t worry bro, my friend is rich I swear, pinky promise, now can I please bet another 1.5 million dollars?

[@ghingisoverland6932]

Bookie knows Ohtani’s worth $700M contract on top of ~$50M per year off the field and Ippe and Shohei’s relationship.

[@Ffollies]

Hard to believe a bookie would just trust Ippei that his best buddy is super rich and he'll cover for him. I mean it's possible but I think there's more to it. There's so many different ways this story can go. I just really hope Shohei didn't do anything illegal or even unethical.

[@cejannuzi]

With the feds involved, that wouldn't be a great idea.

[@Colefromtheinternet]

They need to figure out the regulations. Gambling is making too much money they won’t stop it.

[@asphyxiafeeling]

California tried to legalize sports gambling a few years back, but voters rejected it. I'm sure they'll try again within a few years

[@japaniagua]

@@asphyxiafeeling If California legalizes sports gambling, Vegas will lose half its income 🤣

[@drjeff1979]

these guys are gonna be taking a flight to Japan and never coming back

[@evahasegawa2109]

all english transactions was made by mizuhara including bank transactions

[@ChocolateMilk1978]

The “babe in the woods” routine is not gonna stand up in court. Ohtani is going down.

[@challenger516]

another fake Japanese account lol

[@alyw1988]

The cover up is worse then the crime unless the crime is that they were betting on baseball

[@brandonnazar4754]

nice of nbc sports boston to run this in between ads and in-game segments pushing gambling

[@tmuny1380]

Nothing is going to happen ! He is too big to fail !

[@rizzajohnson1633]

He gave away his winning money from home run derby

[@sh0t0kan]

Shohei has absolutely nothing to do with his so-called friend.

[@ChocolateMilk1978]

Nothing to do with? They were practically married.

[@sh0t0kan]

@@ChocolateMilk1978 They weren't. Ippei didn't know Shohei was dating anyone. Nobody knew accept Mamiko.

[@fightinirish2079]

Liked the show but what's up with the "Recent gambling issues in sports" segway? You had to get the NBA in there by basically saying an opposing teams fan yelled at the Cavs head coach "hey you're costing me a lot of money" 😂❤

[@akiyajapan]

Jose Altuve still my hero.

[@ilphi08]

People all start become "guilty until proven innocent" People be like "How do you know Shohei wasn't betting on baseball" not "How do you know Shohei was betting on baseball"

[@therealchris5085]

It doesn’t matter if it was on baseball. In California gambling is illegal. Also, the story keeps changing which is a huge red flag.

[@Yankees24]

There's 2 wire transfers from his bank account according to a federal investigation

[@ilphi08]

@@Yankees24 That's a cause for investigation. Not a direct undeniable proof that's he was gambling There's something called "beyond the reasonable doubt" There could be several reasons for that transfer Or else, everyone ever wired money to the bookie for anything, would be on the hook for illegal gambling Whether or not, Shohei's betting, that's for FBI to investigate Yet, people act like it's a proven fact

[@ilphi08]

@@Yankees24 And remember, Even if Shohei was gambling If it wasn't on baseball, the most he would face is a minor fine If it was on baseball, if the bet's on games Shohei wasn't a part of, it's a year suspension If it was on a game Shohei played in, then it'd be a ban for life People act like if Shohei caught gambling He must be banned from baseball for life A marlin player literally caught gambling illegally on non-babseball game in 2015 He literally only got fined like $1000

[@editing_aviation]

Couldn't agree more! I am yet to meet a single non-Dodgers fan that has said "I don't know if he betted on baseball, theres no evidence but there's some suspicion". All I've seen is, "Ohtani was betting on baseball. How do you know he wasn't?", so I ask for evidence, and they respond with the exact same shit. They truly do think "guilty until proven innocent"

[@suika197]

Ohtani doesn't gamble because he's not obsessed with money.never

[@user-wr9lh4ly1n]

I remember when he started playing in MLB he said he doesn't need money but it is his dream to play in MLB, and his income was low at the beginning.

[@johncody2209]

LoL $700,000,000. This liar is why most people can't afford to even go to MLB games anymore.

[@GabrielBraun]

Rich people do not gamble for money. Gambling is a sport for them.

[@mikelucie8284]

Yeah right! Good point. Ohtani doesn't care about money LOL! And all these idiots eat that right up. @@johncody2209

[@ChocolateMilk1978]

Gambling is never about money. It’s about the rush of the moment.

[@RAD-82ndABN]

I’m an Ohtani fan but I’m also a Pete Rose fan! Pete Rose also had excuses and his stories changed but MLB banned him for life… IMO Pete Rose did the crime and he did the time! Ohtani thought great as he is, he broke a MLB rule and should automatically be banned for life and under review each year. Ohtani is no different than Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox although great players all were banned for life! Ohtani is no different… If MLB doesn’t do anything that they did to many players then they’re just as corrupt and useless!!! IMO!

[@shotimefans808]

MLB doesn’t listen to you LOSERS. Ohtani will walks a free man with no punishment you clown lol

[@adotintheshark4848]

There's an awful lot of circling the wagons by the media. They're protecting Shohei because he's one of sports' darlings. I'd bet, no pun intended, that he's been dropping a dollar or two with sports bookies as well.

[@Reloadeez]

No, legal sports betting makes it easy to track bets, who's making them, and any proxy bets made. KYC rules apply, the only reason to use an illegal bookmaker is to hide your bets and what your betting on. If the last 12 non sports betting legal states would legalize it illegal bookmakers would be out of business.

[@mjbagaholic3334]

Ohtani had been deceived by Mizuhara.Mizuhara is double guilty because he had illegally gambled and betrayed his friend Ohtani.

[@mikechar17]

7:05 bahhahahahhaah cmon , pulling out of the parking lot bhahahahahhahahha. Nah thats fine. Such a sham. If he was 5 feet further left it was illegal bhahahhahahahhahahahhahahahhahahahhah.

[@mikechar17]

7:45 absolutely disgusting things to say. Pray to your god, money. I have to go vomit now.

[@Yankees24]

No it's not.californiA doesn't have legal betting

[@Gwan-so..]

Ancient Chinese secret huh???🤨

[@GabrielBraun]

Gambling does not equal greed. Ask Michael Jordan. Fishy.

[@mikewilson6564]

Report now, get facts later.

[@lakeeriesailor2852]

Could be worse than pete rose!

[@TheWasif]

I think MLB should just suspend Ohtani for 10 years. 🤓

[@artyonwax619]

🤣

[@shotimefans808]

And MLB doesn’t listen to you LOSERS. Ohtani will walks a free man with no punishment you clown lol

[@thunnuso6792]

Why don’t you ask the NCAA with the whole March Madness thing every year? They will tell you how much gambling is going on.

[@Nighthawk-8050]

Ohtani will be suspended but not banned for life.

[@shotimefans808]

I bet MLB do nothing to Ohtani

[@sammygomes7381]

Country is falling apart and you think I care about sports betting.

[@ChocolateMilk1978]

That same old conservative song and dance haha. You people never stop do you? Complainers all day long the lot of you.

[@sammygomes7381]

@@ChocolateMilk1978 10 million illegal aliens coming over the border isn't a song and dance, it's an invasion. Criminals running free isn't a song and dance, it's a democratic way of life. Not to worry my friend, time is running out.

[@brettconnors]

Pete Rose is turning in his grave

[@dramatyst5661]

Pete rose is alive 😂😂😂 but I get what you mean

[@acersterl]

Pete rose still alive 🎉

[@brettconnors]

thats the joke @@acersterl

[@mikelucie8284]

I think he's still alive

[@flamcity]

He’s not dead

[@lilithclaws832]

Mizuhara is the perfect scapegoat of baka ohtanis gambling addiction

[@uncle-ted]

ohtanis going to jail! same as puig.

[@shotimefans808]

MLB doesn’t listen to you LOSERS. Ohtani will walks a free man with no punishment you clown lol