MLB terminates umpire Pat Hoberg for gambling rule violation

Sudhanshu Ranjan February 4, 2025
MLB terminates umpire Pat Hoberg for gambling rule violation

Major League Baseball (MLB) terminated umpire Pat Hoberg on Monday for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation. Hoberg, known for his precision in calling games, was terminated in a sports betting account-sharing scandal.

MLB’s investigation and allegations

Pat Hoberg began his professional umpiring journey in 2009 and made his MLB debut in 2014. By 2017, he had secured a full-time position on the league’s umpire staff. Hoberg was regarded as one of the top umpires, especially in judging the strike zone. He gained significant recognition during the 2022 World Series when he delivered a “perfect game” as an umpire, calling every pitch accurately.

From April 2021 to November 2023, a friend placed 141 baseball bets totalling $214,000, winning nearly $35,000. It’s also worth noting that some of the bets were placed from Hoberg’s home, precisely 19 out of 141 baseball bets. Of these baseball bets, 8 involved games that Hoberg umpired or was a replay umpire.

Between 30 December 2020 and 15 January 2024, a friend’s accounts with Sportsbook A and Sportsbook B were used to place many bets using devices owned by Hoberg. A total of 417 direct bets placed with Sportsbook A across various sports, including football, basketball, hockey, and golf, amounted to $487,475.83 and resulted in a loss of $53,189.65, while an additional 112 bets with Sportsbook B totalled $222,130 and led to a loss of $21,686.96.

The findings from MLB’s investigation

MLB learned that an electronic device associated with Hoberg had accessed a friend’s account from which he placed the bets, which included placing baseball bets. Hoberg and a friend deleted important messages regarding their bets, which increased the doubts surrounding their intent.

MLB found no evidence that Hoberg personally placed bets on baseball. However, his friend used accounts connected to him to place wagers, including on games he umpired.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has decided to uphold the decision made by Hill, which affects umpire Hoberg. As a result, Hoberg will not be able to reapply for his position until at least 2026’s spring training.

“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules governing sports betting conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans. An extensive investigation revealed no evidence that Mr. Hoberg placed bets on baseball directly or that he or anyone else manipulated games in any way,” Manfred said in a statement.

Pat Hoberg’s defence and statement

Hoberg issued a public apology, accepting full responsibility for his poor judgement. He maintained that he never personally bet on baseball but acknowledged his actions failed to meet MLB’s ethical standards.

Hoberg said in a statement, “I take full responsibility for the judgement errors outlined in today’s statement. Those errors will always be a source of shame and embarrassment to me. Major League Baseball umpires are held to a high standard of personal conduct, and my conduct fell short of that standard.”

MLB Umpires Association’s response

The umpires’ union supported the league’s decision, emphasising the importance of integrity but also recognising that Hoberg never placed direct bets on baseball.

The Major League Umpires Association stated, “If our union believed that an umpire bet on baseball, we would never defend him. But as today’s statement from the league makes clear, the neutral factfinder did not find that Pat placed bets on baseball. Yet we respect Pat’s unequivocal acceptance of responsibility for the mistakes that led to his termination.”

Swept away by sweepstakes? Whether you’re chasing high-stakes action, instant payouts, or unbeatable bonuses, SiGMA Play connects you to the best sports betting sites. Your next winning moment awaits! 

Recommended for you