Fresno State guard played poorly on purpose to win bet. How three players got caught

Former Fresno State guard Mykell Robinson placed the first bets, five-way parlays that included an over-line on the number of rebounds he would have in a Dec. 11 game at Brigham Young.

He lost $20 on the bets, which also included the performances of a pro hockey player and three basketball players in games for other schools in one wager, and the performances of a pro basketball player and three basketball players at other schools in another wager. To cash a parlay, a bettor must hit every leg of the bet. The more legs, the more difficult it is to win but the bigger the payout.

But after the initial losing parlays, Robinson changed his approach and bet on his own poor performance, taking the under instead of the over, and he won big, according to findings from an NCAA investigation last season into the Fresno State men’s basketball program.

The NCAA found that Robinson and former teammate Stephen Vasquez cashed bets for more than $15,000 involving the outcomes in one game on Jan. 7 at Colorado State. They won by playing parlays that included Robinson going under totals in several statistical categories, according to the NCAA investigation.

Betting on his own poor performance, Robinson could better control the outcome.

According to the NCAA findings, one of the bets was $200 to win $1,450, the second bet was $800 to win $5,800, and the third was $1,200 to win $8,700. All involved a parlay of proposition or “prop” bets, a wager on how a specific player or team might fare in a certain statistical category. For basketball, that might include points scored, rebounds or assists, to name a few.

Robinson, who averaged 10.3 shots in the 17 games that he played last season, took only four shots in Colorado State game, scoring just three points with two rebounds and no assists in a 91-64 loss to the Rams. Robinson and Vasquez won all three parlay bets made on that game, according to the NCAA investigation.

Not long afterwards, a sports integrity monitoring service notified Fresno State and the NCAA enforcement staff that a Nevada sportsbook flagged suspicious prop bet activity on Robinson’s play at Colorado State. That started the investigation last season that resulted in Wednesday’s announcement that Robinson, Vazquez and former Bulldogs’ guard Jalen Weaver have their eligibility revoked for future competition.

According to the NCAA investigation, Weaver was not involved in the Colorado State betting, but he admitted to investigators that he was involved with illegal gambling related to a game against New Mexico.

Robinson and Weaver both had one year of eligibility remaining. Vasquez, who played last season at San Jose State, was a senior.

Fresno State and the NCAA collaborated on the investigation that included imaging of Robinson’s cell phone, which NCAA said substantiated the claims against Robinson and Vasquez, who roomed together at Fresno State in 2023-24. The NCAA concluded that the two players conspired to place bets on Robinson’s under-line totals on points scored, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made at Colorado State.

Robinson in text messages also told Vasquez that he planned to intentionally underperform during the game for purposes of placing and winning prop bets, the NCAA said.

“Specifically, prior to the game, Robinson told his mother to transfer money via Apple Pay to Vasquez so Vasquez could coordinate a $200 bet on Robinson’s under-line on Robinson’s behalf,” according to the NCAA case synopsis. “Additionally, Vasquez and a sportsbook trader bet $1,200 on Robinson’s under-line to win $8,700. During the game, Robinson altered his performance, with three points scored, two rebounds, one three-pointer and no assists, to ensure the under-line bets won. After the game, Vasquez transferred a total of $1,625 to Robinson via Robinson’s mother, which included $1,425 won from Robinson’s $200 bet Vasquez made on Robinson’s behalf and an additional $200 from Vasquez’s own bet winnings.”

In total, $2,200 in bets on Robinson going under totals resulted in a payout of $15,950.

“Additionally, on June 24 and July 3, two daily fantasy sportsbook operators provided the enforcement staff information showing that Robinson placed 13 prop bets on himself totaling $454 as part of different parlays on over and under-lines before other Fresno State games on Dec. 11, 28 and 31, 2024; and Jan. 7 and 11, 2025,” the NCAA said. “Robinson won $618 on his own prop parlay bets.”

The investigation also substantiated through phone imaging that Robinson and Weaver had participated in wagering activity involving a game against New Mexico in violation of NCAA rules, which prohibit betting on games or providing information to any individuals involved in or associated with any type of sports betting activities involving intercollegiate, professional or amateur games or competition. That includes pools, parlays and prop bets, in-game betting and single-game wagers.

Weaver, according to the NCAA, provided information to Robinson about Weaver’s daily fantasy sports prop bet performance lines. Robinson also provided information on his individual performance prop bet lines to Weaver, so that Weaver could place prop bets on Robinson for a Dec. 31, 2024, game against New Mexico.

“Weaver placed a $50 prop bet on himself as part of a three-person parlay, including Robinson and another men’s basketball student-athlete at a different institution, taking the over-line numbers for his assists, Robinson’s three pointers made and the other men’s basketball student-athlete’s points scored,” the NCAA said in its infractions decision on Weaver.

As a result, Weaver won $260.

Robinson and Vasquez declined to meet with NCAA investigators. Weaver was interviewed on Feb. 20 by NCAA enforcement staff and admitted to betting on himself and Robinson, the NCAA said.

Robinson played in one more game following the loss at Colorado State and was dismissed from the team. Weaver was held out of a Feb. 22 game at Air Force following his interview with investigators and was dismissed from the team five days later.

The university in a statement said, “Fresno State holds itself to the highest standards of integrity, character and sportsmanship, and has an unwavering commitment to compliance with all NCAA and conference rules. The university proactively shared reported information concerning sports wagering activity with the NCAA and worked collaboratively with the NCAA staff throughout the investigation. While the eligibility consequences for the former student-athletes are significant, the case ultimately resulted in a Level III/secondary violation and no sanctions for the institution. The university continues to have confidence in the Fresno State athletics’ culture and is grateful to conclude this matter.”

Robinson, according to the NCAA, also placed prop bet parlays against New Mexico. He placed four parlay prop bets totaling $236, all of which included his performance and two of which included his performance and Weaver’s performance. Robinson won $618 on those bets.

He also placed bets on his own in the Colorado State game and in what turned out to be his final game for Fresno State, Jan. 11, against Nevada.

Robinson placed three prop daily fantasy sports bets totaling $113 on himself in the Nevada game, an overtime loss. He went back to placing bets on the over-line for his rebounds as part of a three-leg parlay including himself, one basketball player at a different institution and a professional football player; a five-leg parlay including himself, three basketball student-players at different institutions and a professional football player; and a four-leg parlay including himself and three basketball players at different institutions.

According to the NCAA, Robinson did not win any money on those bets.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions does not assess penalties, but it did approve the findings, saying it confirmed that the violations occurred, according to the NCAA.

Student-athletes who are found to have violated NCAA rules are ineligible and can only be reinstated with the assistance of an NCAA school. The starting point for student-athletes who bet on their own games, however, is a permanent loss of eligibility.