Stuart is a freelance journalist and marketing content and copywriter who graduated from Canterbury Christ Church University. His writing covers topics such as Sports Betting and iGaming news stories, Technology, Aviation, and Travel and Tourism....
Read Full BioAfter repeated sports betting bylaw violations, the NCAA has punished former Baylor University staffer Sam Hancock after placing nearly 3,000 bets over five years.
While serving as Director of Resource Development, Hancock admitted to continually betting on NCAA events, including wagers involving Baylor athletes.
The university initiated the case against Hancock on 31 August 2024 after an automated monitoring system alerted them that he was using the fantasy platform PrizePicks for impermissible betting. Following an internal interview and self-report, the university and NCAA enforcement then opened a collaborative investigation into the matter.
In response, Hancock acknowledged he had placed 2,950 daily fantasy sports wagers between July 2019 and September 2024, totaling nearly $46,000. Of these bets, 113 were placed on Baylor student-athletes or athletes competing against Baylor, which mirrored incidents by Fresno State’s men’s basketball players.
The investigation concluded that Hancock had neither used insider information nor affected any matchups he bet on. Still, his actions violated NCAA Bylaws 10.01.1 and 10.3.
NCAA Betting Rules and Bylaw Violations Explained
These NCAA bylaws actively prohibit sports betting by any university athletics personnel, and the NCAA made an example of Hancock, emphasizing his willful disregard for the rules despite being issued mandatory compliance education at Baylor.
Although Hancock’s violations were deemed a Level II Standard violation, the case factored in his aggravating infringements, including his intent to profit from NCAA event wagering and his consistent rule-breaking activity. However, the NCAA also accepted mitigating factors such as his immediate acceptance of responsibility and the lack of major prior violations.
As part of the penalties handed down to Hancock, he now faces a two-year show-cause order effective until April 2027. The consequences will mean that during this time, any NCAA institutions that choose to employ him must enforce a number of restrictions, including mandatory gambling counseling and NCAA rules education seminars.
A secondary penalty also includes a future two-week suspension from all activities during his first year of employment, should Hancock choose to return to a university in an athletics-related position. During this period, he will be forbidden to contact all staff members and student-athletes or participate in the development or ticketing operations.
The NCAA also issued a formal public reprimand and censure by releasing the negotiated resolution agreement. In addition, following the review, the Division I Committee agreed that the penalties issued to Hancock were appropriate and consistent with NCAA bylaws.
Baylor University’s Response and Institutional Outcome
Baylor University’s infringements were processed as a separate Level III violation. This was due to the institution’s proactive role in identifying the issue and quickly reporting the violations to the NCAA. As a result, no additional allegations or breaches were levied against Baylor.
It also declared that Hancock’s actions directly violated the principles of honesty and sportsmanship demanded of NCAA-affiliated personnel. Furthermore, the NCAA hopes that the public nature of the punishments will act as a deterrent, reiterating its tough stance on gambling and the consequences of breaching those standards.
