Bookie Tied To Ohtanis Interpreter Says Half Of All Pro Athletes Gamble On Sports

Published: Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 10:00 am

Bookie's Downfall Highlights Pervasive Sports Gambling

A California bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, is set to serve a year in prison for running an illegal sports betting operation. Bowyer's case gained notoriety due to his involvement with Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara amassed a $40.2 million gambling debt, allegedly stealing $16.2 million from Ohtani to pay Bowyer. Ohtani was not charged with any crime.

Bowyer's illegal operation handled $1 billion in wagers from 1,200 clients in a year. He estimates that half of all professional athletes gamble on sports. Bowyer's conviction underscores the ongoing prevalence of illegal sports betting, which generated $84 billion in wagers and $5 billion in revenue in the last 12 months. Legal sportsbooks, in comparison, saw $149.9 billion in wagers and $13.78 billion in revenue in 2024.

The article highlights a series of recent sports gambling scandals, including investigations into college basketball players betting on their own games and the NBA's lifetime ban of Jontay Porter. The NFL has also suspended players for violating betting rules.

Bowyer, who met Mizuhara at an underground poker game, believes that the legalization of sports betting, following the 2018 Supreme Court decision overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, has increased temptation and the potential for scandals. Bowyer gambled nearly $12 million of Ohtani's money at Resorts World Las Vegas.

BNN's Perspective:

The story of Bowyer and the Mizuhara scandal serves as a stark reminder of the challenges associated with the rapidly expanding sports betting industry. While legalizing sports betting has brought in significant revenue for states, it has also created new avenues for corruption and exploitation. The prevalence of illegal bookmaking operations, as highlighted by Bowyer's case, underscores the need for continued vigilance and robust regulatory oversight to protect athletes, the integrity of sports, and consumers.

Keywords: sports betting, illegal gambling, bookmaker, Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani, gambling scandal, NCAA, NBA, NFL, PASPA, legal sportsbooks, Mathew Bowyer, corruption, sports integrity

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