Sportsbooks, MLB Agree to Set New Bet Limits on Individual Pitches

• MLB and major sportsbook have agreed to set a $200 limit on bets for individual pitches, according to an ESPN report
• The limit comes two days after two Guardians pitchers were charged for their alleged roles in a sports betting and money laundering conspiracy
• The new limit is designed to discourage micro betting manipulation

Several major sportsbooks have agreed to institute a new betting limit for individual MLB pitches in the wake of a sports betting scandal involving two Cleveland Guardians pitchers.

According to an MLB report, several major sportsbook operators have agreed to cap bets on individual pitches at $200 as a way to discourage event manipulation. This decision comes two days after Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were charged in a sports betting and money laundering conspiracy, as the pitchers allegedly rigged pitches during the MLB season and shared information with corrupt sports bettors.

In addition to the betting limit, operators will also prohibit these bets to be included in parlays.

Limits Across Majority of Operators

According to the MLB press release, the new limit will be instituted by several major operators – including DraftKings and FanDuel – accounting for 98% of the U.S. regulated sports betting markets.

“Since the Supreme Court decision opened the door to legalized sports betting, Major League Baseball has continuously worked with industry and regulatory stakeholders across the country to uphold our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans. I commend Ohio Governor DeWine for his leadership on this issue over the last several months. I also commend the industry for working with us to take action on a national solution to address the risks posed by these pitch-level markets, which are particularly vulnerable to integrity concerns. We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders, including licensed sports betting operators, elected officials and regulators, to ensure we are always protecting the integrity of our game,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a release.

The risk on these markets for manipulation will be significantly reduced with this new limit, according to MLB. Most prop bets take into account multiple events that can be influenced by multiple actors, but micro-bets on the pitching market can be influenced completely by just one athlete.

Clase, a star reliever for the Guardians, was placed on non-disciplinary leave in July per an agreement with the Players Association and never returned to the Guardians this season. Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave on July 3 and also never returned to the team.

According to the indictment for both players, Clase and Ortiz allegedly agreed in advance with their co-conspirators on specific pitches they would throw in MLB games. The co-conspirators used this information to place hundreds of fraudulent bets on those pitches.

FanDuel President Christian Genetski said the regulated sports betting market is committed to rooting out abuses and keeping competition fair.

“The legalized sports betting industry is built on a foundation of dialogue and collaboration with our league partners and the states in which we operate. This initiative illustrates our unwavering commitment to building a legal and regulated market that roots out abuses by those who seek to undermine fair competition and damage the integrity of the games we love.”

Fanatics Sportsbook will also institute the $200 limit on pitching micro-bets.

“The legal sports betting market was designed to be collaborative with regulators, leagues and lawmakers in order to provide a safe betting experience for sports fans.  At Fanatics, we believe that addressing pitch level markets with Major League Baseball is a way to show that the legal market is working, as well as, a prudent step to protect the integrity of our national pastime,” a Fanatics Sportsbook spokesperson said.

Ohio Governor Called For Complete Prop Ban

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) previously called for a complete ban of player props when news broke of the investigation of Clase and Ortiz over the summer.

However, he commended Commission Manfred and MLB for their actions following the indictment of Clase and Ortiz.

“I commend Commissioner Manfred, Major League Baseball, and its partners for taking this action to address the problem of micro-prop bets. By limiting the ability to place large wagers on micro-prop bets, Major League Baseball is taking affirmative steps to protect the integrity of the game and reduce the incentives to participate in improper betting schemes. I urge other sports leagues to follow Major League Baseball’s example with similar action,” he said.