Iowa State QB Charged In Betting Investigation; Claims Shared Accounts

Iowa State University (ISU) QB Hunter Dekkers has been accused of betting on his own school, including football games. Dekkers has been officially charged with tampering with records and illegal gambling. The young QB is accused of placing approximately 366 wagers totaling $2,799 ($7.65 per bet average). The bets were placed at DraftKings, with 26 of these being ISU sporting events.

This is just the latest sports illegal betting scandal that has taken place in recent months. Across the NFL, several players have been suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.

Iowa State QB On The Hot Seat For Sports Betting

One of the games that Dekkers is accused of wagering on was the 2021 ISU vs. Oklahoma State game. While Dekkers himself was a backup and did not play in the game, it is still a violation of NCAA guidelines. Official NCAA rules prohibit players from wagering on any sporting event associated with their school.

Dekkers now faces permanent ineligibility from competing in collegiate sporting events for these transactions. It has already been confirmed that Dekkers will not be participating in fall preseason activities. In a statement released by his attorneys, Dekkers vehemently denies the accusations placed against him.

“Hunter Dekkers denies the criminal charge brought against him. He will plead not guilty to that charge because he is in fact not guilty of that charge,” said attorney Mark Weinhardt in a statement to a local newspaper. He is representing Dekkers. “This charge attempts to criminalize a daily fact of American life. Millions of people share online accounts of all kinds every day.”

Dekkers’ legal team claims the wagers were placed by someone using his account. It is expected that the young QB to plead not guilty of all charges.

“This prosecution interferes with and politicizes what is the business of Iowa State University and the NCAA. The investigation at the Iowa universities is the tip of an iceberg. Thousands and thousands of college athletes place bets — usually very small ones — with shared accounts. That is for the schools and the NCAA to police.”

Iowa State QB Not The Only Player Charged

Dekkers is not alone in this scandal. A total of three active ISU players and one former player are also involved in the tampering with records accusations. Dodge Sauser, a sophomore offensive lineman, is also accused of betting on Iowa State games. Additionally, Paniro Johnson, a sophomore on the wrestling team, is also accused.

Sauser’s DraftKings account is alleged to have recorded 12 wagers placed on ISU football games with a total of $3,075 wagered on the account. Sauser has not played in any Iowa State game. Johnson’s account wagered a total of $45,640 on approximately 1,283 wagers. 25 of these wagers were allegedly on Iowa State events. Johnson is a Big 12 Conference Champion at 149 pounds.

If convicted, the accused face up to one year in county jail or two years in prison. Tampering with records is an aggravated misdemeanor charge.