How did Calvin Ridley get Caught Gambling?
Calvin Ridley was caught with the help of statistics and data from Genius Sports Group,
Genius Sports Group is a company that supplies statistics and compliance information to the NFL, is a partner. After Ridley’s wagers were identified, Genius assisted in correlating information from Hard Rock.
Genius focuses on ensuring the integrity of games where betting is prevalent.
The NFL was notified, and an investigation was launched. The Atlanta Falcons were added to the mix on February 9.
Ridley was suspended indefinitely less than a month later when discipline was identified and implemented.
Goodell’s long sentence was both a statement and a hopeful deterrent from a league trying to prevent its own Pete Rose catastrophe.
While the wheels of justice spun slowly (as is customary in the NFL), Ridley’s bets were soon recognized and flagged.
Attempts by players, staffers, or even executives to gamble on games under their own names will be detected in the same way.
Without the league’s knowledge, NFL players cannot bet on league games under their own identities.
They could try to get around the system by placing bets through middlemen, but any unusual activity will draw the attention of a league anxious to defend the integrity of its game and sportsbooks unwilling to lose money due to insider information.