On Thursday, the New England Patriots were informed of the arrest of rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte for engaging in thousands of bets while underage.
Boutte utilized an alias to place a staggering 8,900 wagers, with some of them involving college football games. According to NOLA.com, these illicit activities occurred during Boutte’s final season at LSU.
The charges against Boutte include a felony count of computer fraud and a misdemeanor count of gaming prohibited by persons under 21. LSU, in a statement released on Thursday, revealed that they became aware of the allegations in July 2023, by which time Boutte had already joined the Patriots. LSU expressed cooperation with authorities and stated that they have no evidence of other student-athletes participating in such activities.
RELATED: Wild Odds For Super Bowl TD Bet Goes Viral
“Since then, we have fully cooperated with all relevant authorities involved in the investigation and will continue to do so,” LSU said. “We have no evidence that any other student-athletes participated in these prohibited activities, and we are grateful for measures that detect and discourage sports gambling related misconduct.”
As of now, the Patriots have not issued a statement regarding Boutte’s arrest. The team selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Boutte’s rookie season in the NFL concluded with two receptions for 19 yards.
The incident has sparked discussions about the potential issues associated with gambling, with some pointing out that placing thousands of bets indicates a significant problem, even if not everyone agrees that gambling constitutes a traditional addiction.
