Gamblers typically don’t win. And the losses can extend beyond the money wagered.
NBA player Terry Rozier will lose most of his $26.6 million salary for the 2025-26 season. Via NBC News, an arbitrator ruled in late May that the conditions of Rozier’s pretrial release caused a violation of the terms of his player contract.
Rozier was originally prohibited by the court from contacting any team members of the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets, including players, coaches and medical staff members. Travel conditions also were imposed. The Heat have since been removed from the restriction; the Hornets remain.
Rozier is due to become a free agent next month.
“Under the current ruling of the arbitrator, an inability to play for or against the Charlotte Hornets would constitute a ‘failure to perform services’ by Mr. Rozier and substantially diminish or eliminate any chance of being contracted by an NBA team,” Rozier’s lawyer, Jim Trusty, wrote in a motion aimed at further revising the terms of the pretrial release.
The federal government recently has added a charge of bribery to the prior fraud indictment, alleging that Rozier sought and received a $100,000 bribe in exchange for tipping off a group of bettors about his plan to exit a March 2023 game early, due to an injury.
The case is a clear example of what happens when the lure of getting a little more can jeopardize much more than that. And the ongoing explosion of gambling and prediction markets creates a constant temptation to chase some extra cash with no apparent downside.
If Rozier had just spent 99 cents for the ebook edition of Big Shield, he would have learned that lesson without losing millions. And without being at risk of going to prison.
