Suspended Denver DL Eyioma Uwazurike accused of betting on multiple Broncos, Iowa State games
Denver Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike is in even more hot water following accusations of gambling on not only Broncos games, but also Iowa State games. Uwazurike played for the Cyclones from 2017-2021. During that time, he allegedly placed bets on games that he played in, according to the Des Moines Register.
The FanDuel account allegedly controlled by Uwazurike completed approximately 801 online sports wagers. The bets totaled “over $21,361,” the complaint from Iowa District Court states. Four of the wagers were on Iowa State football games in which he played. He could now face up to two years in prison.
The four bets he placed on the Cyclones were for two games. The games were on Sept. 11, 2021 against Iowa, and Oct. 2, 2021, against Kansas. They won both games.
The league has already issued an indefinite suspension to the defensive tackle for betting on NFL games during the 2022 season.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Uwazurike will be eligible to petition for reinstatement no earlier than July 24, 2024.
Uwazurike is coming off his rookie season after the Broncos selected him in the fourth-round of last year’s NFL Draft out of Iowa State. He appeared in eight games, compiling 17 tackles (11 solo) and two quarterback hits.
Uwazurike is just the latest player accused of betting on Iowa State games. The Cyclones’ 2022 starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers allegedly bet on a 2021 football game against Oklahoma State when he was the backup quarterback.
Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers caught betting on Cyclones games
According to a criminal complaint filed in local court by prosecutors, Dekkers used an account under his parents’ names, according to Jeff Dubrof of KCCI.
By using an online betting account apparently set up by his parents, Jami and Scott Dekkers, Dekkers effectively hid a lot of his bets from regulators. It created the appearance that the bets placed by Dekkers were actually placed by his mother, Jami.
Dekkers was charged in local court on Tuesday, according to the Des Moines Register.
He has been charged by local prosecutors with “tampering with records related to” the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s inquiry into improper gambling at Iowa State, according to the Des Moines Register. According to the complaint filed in court, Dekkers bet on a 2021 football game against Oklahoma State when he was the backup quarterback for the Cyclones.
Along with that bet, he allegedly placed 25 other bets on Iowa State sporting events. The DraftKings account allegedly completed upwards of 350 sports wagers totaling more than $2,799.
Dekkers, the Iowa State starting quarterback in 2022, would permanently lose eligibility under NCAA guidelines for betting.
Dekkers has played in 19 career games for the Cyclones, starting all 12 for Iowa State in 2022. He threw for 3044 yards and 19 touchdowns last season and earned all-conference honorable mention.
On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this report.