Ohio regulators move to ban former Alabama baseball coach from state sportsbooks after insider betting scandal
The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is taking action to ban former University of Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon from the state’s sportsbooks. The move comes in the wake of allegations that Bohannon shared inside information with an associate who tried to place a large bet against the team.
Bohannon and Indiana businessman Bert Neff II, the associate in question, have both been informed that they will be placed on Ohio’s Sports Gaming Involuntary Exclusion List. In letters addressed to both men, the commission cited allegations that Bohannon provided inside information about an Alabama baseball game to Neff, who then attempted to place bets based on that information.
According to the letters, the commission believes that their presence and participation in sports gaming pose a threat to the interests of the state. The letters referenced an incident on April 28, 2023, involving the University of Alabama baseball team, where Bohannon allegedly shared non-public information with Neff for the purpose of participating in sports gaming.
The scandal stems from allegations that Bohannon told Neff that Alabama’s star pitcher, Luke Holman, would not start a game against Louisiana State University. Before this information became public, Neff attempted to wager over $100,000 in cash that the Crimson Tide would lose to the Tigers, drawing suspicion from the sportsbook staff.
Neff, a youth baseball coach from Indiana, was reportedly texting via the messaging app Signal while he was standing at the sportsbook window. His son, a pitcher at the University of Cincinnati, was not believed to be involved in the alleged scheme. Neff’s actions led to the firing of two other members of the UC baseball staff in May.
Both Bohannon and Neff have the opportunity to appeal the decision and plead their case before the commission. The ban is not yet in effect, and an appeal must be filed within 30 days. According to OCCC Executive Director Matthew T. Schuler, any final action pertaining to the Sports Gaming Involuntary Exclusion List will occur at a public Commission Meeting. Additionally, the commission halted betting on Alabama baseball immediately after the scandal, but that order expired on Wednesday.
Bohannon was fired from the University of Alabama in May.
