For anyone familiar with the world of wagering, Pete Rose is one of the most infamous gamblers in the world. One of the greatest hitters in MLB history, he has essentially been banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame for wagering on games he oversaw when he was manager of the Cincinnati Reds. That said, Alabama head coach Nick Saban saw an opportunity, given the current gaming climate, to bring in Rose recently to address his team ahead of the regular season per numerous reports. With sports betting being a major concern ahead of this year’s college football season, Saban asked Rose to tell his story to his team and talk about how gambling altered his career and reputation.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming out of Alabama and also some more notes about Cotton State betting.
In addressing the Alabama football team, Rose talked about his lifetime ban from Major League Baseball after an investigation concluded he illegally placed bets with bookies on games he participated in. According to one article, at the time, single-game sports betting was illegal everywhere other than in Nevada. Despite being MLB’s all-time hits leader (4,256), and golding the records for most games played (3,562) among other records, he is not in the Hall of Fame. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) says it will not consider a player for Cooperstown who has been banned by MLB.
Many of Saban’s players have NFL aspirations and per reports, Rose warned them all that their goals and dreams will be achieved if they steer clear of sports betting. This is also regardless of its legality. Moreover, Saban told reporters after the former Red visited Tuscaloosa that “Rose said he made a mistake, he should have never done it, and he said it was bad judgment on his part.” He also went on to say that “he was very transparent, but he also talked about winning and he never gambled on his team doing anything but winning. He believed in his players, he trusted his players, and loved his players.”
According to one article, the Alabama coach added that Rose provided crucial insight into how violating team or league rules can devastate one’s career. Moreover, Saban said his invited speakers this year are addressing the most pressing issues facing college football players in 2023, which, along with sports betting, include drugs and alcohol. The head coach said he and his staff are trying to educate their players on the consequences of good and bad behavior, cause and effect. This is to make sure that no player on the team suffers negative consequences that might impact and affect their brand. This is perhaps even more the case this off-season, with former Alabama standout wide receiver Henry Ruggs III recently receiving a three to 10-year prison sentence for a fatal DUI case in Nevada.
In addition to the Alabama baseball program being caught up in a gambling scheme earlier this summer, there have been other recent cases of gaming affecting college sports. Recently, three Iowa State football players, including quarterback Hunter Dekkers, were accused earlier this month of betting on their Cyclones squad last year when the team went 4-8 per multiple outlets. Moreover, Aaron Blom, a kicker for the Iowa Hawkeyes, is also being probed for betting on games this year.
After you are all squared away regarding the latest gaming and wagering information coming from the state of Alabama, check out the wide variety of resources at SBS. Of course, for more information on the topic here, check out our sports betting in Alabama guide which covers all the latest news and notes concerning Cotton State wagering. Conversely, for those looking to maximize their bets, then the best bonus betting sites breakdown is a must-read page. Here you can find a catalog of the latest welcome bonus offers available to you. Finally, for those curious about deposit and withdrawal options, check out our payment methods rundown which goes over these topics. This includes options from crypto to traditional banking routes.