Ex-Baylor Staffer Facing NCAA Penalties for Illegal Sports Bets

• Former employee of the Big 12 school placed nearly 3,000 bets over six years
• Some of the bets were on Baylor games
• Sports betting isn’t legal in Texas, but DFS is

A former Baylor University staffer is facing NCAA penalties for placing nearly 3,000 bets over more than six years, including some on his then employer’s games.

Sam Hancock, previously director of resource development at the Waco, Texas university, received a  two-year show-cause order from the NCAA after it was discovered he placed 2,950 bets for a total of $46,000 on three daily fantasy sports (DFS) sites between July 2019 and September 2024. In what the NCAA deemed a “significant conflict of interest,” Hancock is said to have made 113 wagers on Baylor games.

Hancock and the enforcement staff agree that from July 2019 through September 2024, Hancock violated the principles of honesty and sportsmanship when he knowingly participated in sports betting activities,” according to the NCAA.

The college athletics governing body pointed out that Hancock did not commit any Level 1 or major violations. Those are considered to be bets placed with insider information or those that could threaten the integrity of outcomes.

Details Scarce on Bets Were Placed

Aside from noting Hancock’s wagers were placed on DFS sites and that some involved Baylor athletes, indicating player propositions, the NCAA didn’t divulge many details regarding the specific sites on which the former Baylor employee made his bets.

In fact, some DFS operators’ advertisements leverage the fact they can do business in states such as California and Texas as customer acquisition tools.

To be clear, the NCAA didn’t identify specific gaming companies through which Hancock transmitted wagers, but some of the biggest names in the DFS space do offer bets linked to college athletes and games.

Inside Hancock’s NCAA Penalty

While he didn’t commit Level 1 violations, Hancock is still staring at stiff penalties from the NCAA. As part of the two-year show-cause order, he must attend mandatory gambling counseling and pay his own way to the NCAA Regional Rules Seminars.

He also has to serve a two-week suspension from his job during the first year of the order and during that time, he can have not interaction with college athletics, athletes, or staff working in that field.

That’s pertinent because according to his LinkedIn profile, he’s the senior director of development and annual giving for the Wichita State University athletics department.