Hunter Dekkers linked to Iowa State gambling probe, charged with tampering

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State quarterback Hunter Deckers has been accused of gambling on Cyclones sports, including a football game, and was charged Tuesday with tampering with records related to an Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling.

The criminal complaint said Dekkers placed 366 online bets worth more than $2,799. According to documents, those bets included 26 Iowa State athletic events and a 2021 football game against Oklahoma State when Dekkers was a backup. He did not play in the game.

The Des Moines Register was first to report the charge against Dekkers.

The newspaper also reported, per court documents, that two other current Cyclone athletes were charged with tampering with records — offensive lineman Dodge Sauser and Paniro Johnson, a sophomore who was a Big 12 champion in wrestling.

In addition, per the Register, ex-Iowa State defensive lineman Enyi Uwazurike allegedly placed wagers on two Iowa State games while at the school in 2021, and is said to have also tampered with records. Uwazurike was a fourth-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2022 who last month was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s policy on gambling. The league said he bet on NFL games during the 2022 season.

Documents said Dekkers participated in a scheme with his parents, Scott Dekkers and Jami Dekkers, to conceal his online gambling and made it appears that bets placed by Hunter Dekkers were made by Jami Dekkers.

The 22-year-old Dekkers started all 12 of Iowa State’s games last season. He could face loss of eligibility under NCAA guidelines against athletes from wagering on their own games or other sports at their own schools.

“We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time,” Iowa State senior associate athletic director Nick Joos said in a statement.

Dekkers is set to appear in court on Aug. 16. There was no attorney for Dekkers listed on the complaint.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.