Odds Say Robert Kraft Will Be Fined & Suspended by NFL; Won’t Give Up Patriots
- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is facing charges of soliciting prostitution
- The owner of the Super Bowl champs was caught during a sting operation at a Florida massage parlor
- See the prop bets on how this might impact his ownership of the Patriots
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has gone from looking forward to a trip to the White House with the Super Bowl champions, to perhaps facing time in the Big House – and no, we don’t mean Michigan Stadium.
Front pages after Patriots owner Robert Kraft is charged with soliciting prostitution pic.twitter.com/gHfmT99xK4
— Sports Front Pages (@SportsFrontPage) February 23, 2019
Kraft was caught Friday in a prostitution sting at a Jupiter, Fla. massage parlor and is facing misdemeanor charges of soliciting prosititution.
Police are alleging that Kraft is caught on video paying for sexual services at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in the beach resort on two separate occasions.
Kraft is denying the allegations through his legal representatives.
Can He Kraft A Way Out Of This Mess?
How might this run-in with the law impact Kraft’s future with the NFL and indeed his ownership of the Patriots? It’s an intriguing question and one which online sportsbooks are posing.
Oddsmakers have crafted a series of prop bets in relation to Kraft and his future in football franchise ownership.
Odds On Type of Punishment Kraft Faces from NFL
| Outcome | Odds On Robert Kraft NFL Suspension Result |
|---|---|
| Both fined and suspended | -300 |
| Neither fined or suspended | +325 |
| Only fined | +400 |
| Only suspended | +700 |
All odds taken 2/23.
Kraft is expected to be officially charged by police next week. If convicted, he could face up to 120 days in county jail, or a sentence as little as community service.
What happens next to Kraft in terms of his NFL future? That’s in the hands of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and he has many options at his disposal.
Pending the completion of police investigations in Florida — and likely a league inquiry as well — Roger Goodell could punish New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft for being charged with two counts of soliciting a prostitute. https://t.co/AyDVF5ZI7k
— ABC News (@ABC) February 23, 2019
Goodell might utilize the NFL’s personal conduct policy. That directive states ownership and club or league management are held to a higher standard and subject to more signficant discipline.
Kraft could be fined and/or suspended from all activities involving the Patriots.
What’s It Going to Cost Him?
There are some recent examples that can be cited when seeking to decipher what punishment is likely to await Kraft.
Over/Under Amount of Money Kraft is Fined by NFL
| Amount | Robert Kraft: If Fined By NFL, Odds On How Much |
|---|---|
| Under $1 million | -200 |
| Over $1 million | +150 |
All odds taken 2/23.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was suspended six games in 2014 and fined $500,000 after pleading guilty to misdemeanor DUI.
The NFL dropped a six-game suspension and $500,000 fine on Jim Irsay for his DUI. http://t.co/guqfzURIfD pic.twitter.com/mEbiKPqG6f
— Cindy Boren (@CindyBoren) September 2, 2014
In 2012, when the NFL discovered the New Orleans Saints implementing a policy of placing bounties on opponents, Saints owner Tom Benson was fined $500,000.
Over/Under Length of Suspension from NFL
| Length | Robert Kraft: If Suspended By NFL, Odds On How Long It Will Be |
|---|---|
| 5-8 weeks | +125 |
| 9-17 weeks | +140 |
| 1-4 weeks | +200 |
All odds taken 2/23.
Jerry Richardson was forced to sell the Carolina Panthers after evidence of racial and sexual misconduct in the workplace was uncovered.
The @NFL announced that former #Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is fined $2.75 million for workplace misconduct.
NFL: “Most will be used to support the work of organizations dedicated to addressing race and gender-based issues in and outside of the workplace.“
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 28, 2018
The league also fined Richardson $2.75 million.
He’s Not Going Anywhere
While Kraft should anticpate some sort of punishment for what Goodell calls embarrassing the shield, don’t expect the Richardson treatment.
Fining Robert Kraft the maximum allowable NFL owner fine of $500,000, based on median net worth in America and Kraft’s net worth of $6.6B, is the equivalent of fining the average fan $2.87. pic.twitter.com/78Xu8iqRA9
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 23, 2019
He’ll still own the Patriots when all is said and done.
Odds Kraft Still Owns the Patriots in 2019
| Outcome | Odds Robert Kraft Will Still Be Owner Of The New England Patriots In Week 1 of the 2019 NFL Season |
|---|---|
| Yes | -2000 |
| No | +1000 |
All odds taken 2/23.
There will likely be a suspension of several weeks and a fine, but whatever the amount, it will be chump change. Kraft’s net worth is estimated at $6.6 billion.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
