The NCAA has flagged two Mississippi State athletes in a minor gambling-related controversy, following an investigation into violations of the association’s sports betting rules. According to an NCAA investigation, the student-athletes have violated the association’s statutes pertaining to placing bets on professional sports events.
More College Players Caught Betting, Trading on Sports Events
While the players’ names have not been released publicly, their presumed offenses are known – they allegedly gambled on pro sports events, with the pair receiving minor penalties for what was described as Level III violations.
Specifically, the players were found in violation of NCAA bylaw 10.3, which prohibits sports betting by athletes, members of staff, or conference employees.
The offenses in the case of the first athlete were first flagged on February 8, 2026, by ProhiBet, a new partner the NCAA has teamed up with to ensure that it can track similar behavior and enforce consequences.
One of the two Mississippi athletes had placed a $50 bet on the Super Bowl game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, using prediction market platform Kalshi.
The athlete admitted to placing the wager just a week later during a meeting with Mississippi State’s compliance staff, which took place on February 17, 2026.
The player confirmed that this was the only sports wager that he had ever placed, with the only penalty he faced in the form of additional rules education.
As to the second player, the player was caught placing bets on the NBA All-Star Game, once again using Kalshi. ProhiBet once again alerted the university, this time on February 15.
The second player also met with the compliance staff on February 17 and admitted to having placed two bets, worth $10 each.
No Major Violations Despite All
Because the bets won, he had to pay the amount – $66.47 to a charity while also receiving additional rules education.
These cases are fairly minor compared to the seriousness of previous infringements on the college level. Notably, Brendan Sorsby was caught spending thousands gambling on sports, including on his own team’s games.
The player was for a moment poised to continue playing, but widespread pushback and threats to boycott games promoted his ousting from college-level play.
The NCAA has been working hard to ensure that its anti-gambling rules are applied and honored, with increased scrutiny and education.