Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers Accused of Betting on Cyclones

Posted on: August 2, 2023, 09:55h. 

Last updated on: August 2, 2023, 01:15h.

Pauly McGuire Read More

Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

Hunter Dekkers, the starting quarterback for the Iowa State Cyclones, is accused of betting on Iowa State sporting events, including one college football game.

As a junior last season, Dekkers started 12 games at quarterback for an Iowa State team that went 4-8 and failed to qualify for a bowl game. Dekkers entered this season as a projected starter.

Back in May, the NCAA announced that multiple student-athletes violated gambling protocols, including 15 from Iowa State. Despite the infractions, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission indicated that betting markets weren’t compromised by any of the student-athletes or wagers.

We currently do not have any indication that there are any issues that would raise doubt on the integrity of the markets that have been offered from those two universities,” Brian Ohorilko, administrator of Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, told the Des Moines Register.

Dekkers is one of four student-athletes from Iowa State who were targeted in a recent investigation, along with Paniro Johnson, Dodge Sauser, and Eyioma Uwazurike.

Uwazurike, a former member of the Iowa State football team, played on the defensive line for the Denver Broncos last season. The NFL recently suspended Uwazurike for betting on pro football games during his rookie season with the Broncos.

Dekkers Bet On 26 Iowa State Events

Iowa District Court for Story County filed a criminal complaint on Monday, which included an affidavit stating that Dekkers placed 366 wagers on DraftKings totaling $2,799. At least 26 of those wagers were on Iowa State sporting events, including one college football game.

Dekkers made small wagers averaging less than $8 per bet. The majority of his wagers occurred when he was underage. The current legal betting age is 21 in the state of Iowa.

Dekkers placed one bet on an Iowa State football game on Oct. 23, 2021. He was a sophomore at the time and didn’t play in that game, in which Iowa State defeated Oklahoma State, 24-21.

Dekkers’ attorney, Mark Weinhardt, said his client will plead not guilty on all charges. But Dekkers will temporarily step away from the team.

Hunter has informed the University and the coaching staff that he cannot participate in fall football camp, so he can focus on his studies and on the defense of this criminal charge,” said Weinhardt.

If Dekkers misses any games, Iowa State will most likely start redshirt freshman Rocco Becht. The Cyclones also have Tanner Hughes, a transfer from Butte College, on the roster, along with incoming freshman J.J. Kohl.

Iowa State Star Wrestler Snagged in Probe

Paniro Johnson, a sophomore wrestler, won a Big 12 Conference wrestling title last season in the 149-pound weight class. Johnson was also accused of betting on Iowa State sports. He placed 1,283 bets totaling $45,640.

Dodge Sauser, a sophomore football player, was an offensive lineman for Iowa State. He bet on Iowa State contests as well, but didn’t appear in any games during his career. Sauser placed wagers totaling $3,075 on DraftKings, and 12 of his bets were on Iowa State football games.

The investigation also targeted Uwazurike, who made wagers while attending Iowa State. Uwazurike, a star defensive lineman with the Cyclones, bet on at least two Iowa State games he played in during the 2021 season. Uwazurike placed 801 online wagers totaling $21,300.

Uwazurike became the 10th NFL player to get suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy. The NFL suspended five players in April and four more in June.

The initial complaint stated that all four athletes from Iowa State attempted to conceal their identities when placing wagers.

Dekkers, Johnson, and Sauser were also accused of using third-party accounts to make wagers because they were under the legal betting age.

DraftKings’ mobile betting app went live in the state of Iowa in February 2020.