Former Texas Tech WR Sues NCAA Over Sports Betting Suspension
Jesse M. Cox Published 10/09/2026
Former Texas Tech wide receiver Roy Alexander is suing the NCAA over a sports betting suspension he was issued while a player with the Red Raiders. Alexander's lawsuit alleges that the NCAA suspension is unjust. It also alleges that the legal action constitutes a breach of contract. Alexander is asking a judge to issue an injunction that would enable Alexander to return to the playing field for his final season of NCAA eligibility.
Alexander played just three games for Texas Tech. He has since transferred to Incarnate Word. The wide receiver is facing a six-game suspension for betting on sports.
Red Raiders reported Alexander's gambling to the NCAA
According to filings in the lawsuit, Alexander's gambling came to the attention of the NCAA after the governing body of college sports was informed of it by Texas Tech officials. Alexander's lawyers acknowledge that Alexander did make the sports bets, which are a violation of NCAA rules. However, they argue that since he did not wager on games that involved his teams, he did not impact the integrity of the game.
Before playing at Texas Tech, Alexander was a football player for Albany and, in a previous tenure at his current school, Incarnate Word. According to reporting by ESPN, the bets were made between January 2023 and April 2025 while on the teams at Albany and Incarnate Word.
The suit notes that Alexander only made small bets through legal sports betting apps. Most of his wagers were under $12, and none were larger than $80. According to the filing, he brought his betting to a halt after he read an ESPN article on the "perils of wagering" on college sports.
"While Roy has taken accountability for his actions, ceasing to wager on his own, the [NCAA] dealt him a six-game suspension, which is wholly unreasonable in light of the conduct," the lawsuit reads.
Alexander was permitted to play in Incarnate Word's season opener, a 76-14 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State. That's because the school's opponent plays in the NAIA, so the game did not count against his NCAA suspension.
Alexander is in his last year of NCAA eligibility.
The NCAA stands solidly in its stance against sports betting by players
A firm anti-sports betting policy governs all NCAA sports. A zero-tolerance policy for players and other team officials prohibits all betting, legal or illegal.
"The Association stands by these rules -- which were recently upheld and supported by the majority of Division I schools -- and we will continue to defend against threats to avoid accountability and undermine these common sense standards," the NCAA said in a statement to ESPN.
The NCAA added that it didn't plan to make an exception in Alexander's case.
This sure sounds familiar
If you think you've heard this story before, that's because you have - fairly recently, in fact.
Texas Tech was recently in court with the NCAA. The school was seeking to get senior quarterback Brendan Sorsby reinstated from his gambling suspension. Ultimately, that didn't turn out well for Sorsby.
Initially, Sorsby won a temporary injunction in a Texas court. It would have allowed him to play in his senior season. However, after the NCAA and the Big 12 Conference filed countersuits, Sorsby withdrew his lawsuit and accepted his punishment.
He applied for the NFL Supplemental Draft, but his petition was denied by the league.
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