This is a head-scratcher. If there is one message pounded into the heads of NFL players from the moment they sign their first contract, it’s this; DO NOT BET ON NFL GAMES.
It would be impossible not to know the golden rule of pro football, yet, apparently, one player tried to sneak a small bet by, and he is paying the ultimate price.
Until Monday, Calvin Ridley was a little-known wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons. That’s when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell threw the book at him, suspending him for the entire upcoming season because Ridley bet on NFL games as he was away from the team addressing mental health concerns.
His salary for 2022 was set to be north of $11 million. The amount he bet on games was $1,500. It could go down as the worst ROI in history.
ESPN reported Ridley made the bets on his mobile phone and involved parlays with 3, 5, and 8 games. One of the games reportedly included the Falcons to win.
Ridley admitted to it, taking it like a man on Twitter. “I learn from my Ls,” read one tweet. Another said, “I bet 1500 total I don’t have a gambling problem.”
While NFL players are strictly prohibited from betting on football, they can place wagers on other sports. Here’s the wording from the official policy from the league office.
“All NFL Personnel other than Players are further prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating bets on any other professional (e.g., NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, USTA, MLS), college (e.g., NCAA basketball), international (e.g., World Baseball Classic, World Cup), or Olympic sports competition, tournament or event.”
So, in other words, knock yourself out on the Final Four; just avoid the temptation of taking the Chiefs and the over in a game against the Chargers.
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