[ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n
Facing allegations of operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing false tax returns, Mathew Bowyer<\/strong>, a prominent California bookmaker has been in hot water for a while now. Amid the allegations, the 49-year-old man pleaded guilty<\/a> back in August<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Bowyer is expected to be sentenced in April<\/a>. Ahead of his sentencing, the bookmaker, who allegedly accepted wagers from Ippei Mizuhara<\/strong>, the former interpreter who is accused of stealing millions of dollars to gamble from Shohei Ohtani<\/strong>, the Los Angeles Dodgers star player, was recently interviewed by the New York Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n This marks Bowyer\u2019s first media appearance, and he revealed several shocking details regarding his gambling past<\/strong>. Notably, the man who is accused of running a massive illegal gambling operation, claimed that he accepted wagers from former, as well as current professional athletes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Concerningly, Bowyer claimed that half of the professional athletes wager on sports<\/strong>. Equally as concerning is his estimate that out of the athletes that are gambling approximately 10% are compulsive gamblers<\/strong>. He added that in his opinion, some 3% of the athletes who are betting on sports place wagers on their own sport.<\/p>\n \u201cI know some of them (athletes) are still betting on sports. If 50 percent are gambling, I would think 10 percent of those are compulsive gamblers.<\/em>\u201c<\/p>\n Matthew Bowyer<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n According to the Department of Justice<\/strong> (DOJ), Bowyer operated an illegal gambling enterprise for at least five years until October 2023. In that time, an estimated 700 bettors<\/strong> placed wagers with the unlicensed bookmaker.<\/p>\n50% of Professional Athletes Are Betting<\/h2>\n
\n