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Las Vegas has claimed countless victims over the years, and when you consider how much money most professional athletes have to burn, it’s only natural that more than a few of them have left the city in the red—including Evander Kane, who was recently sued for racking up $500,000 in debt while the Sharks were in town to face off against the Golden Knights in last season’s playoffs.
Last week, Arizona Cardinals defensive back Josh Shaw became the latest athlete to suffer the wrath of some poor decisions made in Sin City when the NFL announced it would be suspending him for the rest of the year after he made the sage decision to bet on some pro football games.
Shaw was placed on injured reserve after banging up his shoulder over the summer, so while he didn’t pull a Pete Rose and place a wager on any contests he was participating in, he apparently couldn’t stop himself from betting on a Cardinals game—and according to ESPN, he didn’t appear to have much faith in his own team.
The outlet reports Shaw rolled into a Caesars sportsbook on November 10 and dropped an unspecified account on a three-team parlay, with one of those teams being the Buccaneers, who were listed as 1-point favorites to outscore Arizona in the second half.
Unfortunately for Shaw, his very own Cardinals put up 17 points to Tampa Bay’s 10 and he ended up losing the bet (Arizona would also lose the game by a score of 30-27).
Caesars apparently reached out to the NFL almost immediately after they became aware of Shaw’s wager and it’s safe to say he made their job slightly easier when he opted to list his occupation as “professional football player” when he was asked to list what he does for a living.
Shaw signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals last spring, so while he’ll be eligible to apply for reinstatement once the season ends, something tells me he might not be welcomed back with open arms in Arizona.