Ben "Parlay" Patz, who achieved short-lived gambling fame by grossing more than $1.1 million in winnings on parlays over a two-month period and later infamy from the disclosure of his threats against players who ruined his bets, was sentenced Thursday morning to 36 months of probation.
Patz pleaded guilty in March of 2021 but was helped by prosecutor Patrick Scruggs requesting a non-incarcerative sentence. The 36 months of probation includes the first six months in a home detention program that allows him to leave his home only for approved activities. He is also prohibited from gambling, must take part in a mental health program and must submit to random drug testing.
In March of last year, Patz turned himself in to a federal marshall after he was charged with threatening to carry out violence against athletes and their families. Patz, whose exploits were tracked by The Action Network in 2019, was charged with sending graphic messages to players through three Instagram accounts that he owned.
He allegedly told two players playing in the Super Bowl in 2019, likely deemed as Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots, based on their initials in the filing, that he would rape and murder their families. Direct messages with similar threats were sent to players of other teams he bet on.
Patz' startling messaging came to end after a host of Tampa Bay Rays players notified club officials of what was happening and a team representative took it to the FBI, who started to build a case against Patz, who is only 24.
