Tucupita Marcano. Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tucupita Marcano was a laughably incompetent gambler prior to lifetime ban

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated Jun 5, 2024 5:11 PM ET

There are varying opinions across the wide world of sports concerning Tucupita Marcano receiving a lifetime ban for gambling on MLB games. But one thing is for certain: He wasn't exactly getting rich off his bad betting habit.

More information has surfaced about the San Diego Padres infielder, who is now banned permanently from the league for betting on Pittsburgh Pirates games while he was a member of that team. According to multiple reports, Marcano bet upward of $150,000 on baseball and over $87,000 of that alone on MLB games. The math comes out to over $300 a wager for 231 MLB bets placed.

Those weren't the most savvy wagers, however, as he won fewer than 5% of the bets he placed. He also lost every parlay bet he placed that involved the Pirates.

Behind Tucupita Marcano's lifetime ban from MLB:

• Total amount bet on baseball: $150,000
• Total amount bet on MLB: $87,319
• Average amount per bet: $378
• Numbers of MLB bets: 231
• Bets on Pirates games: 25
• MLB bets won: 4.3% pic.twitter.com/NqgCHVJJ7O
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 4, 2024

Marcano's punishment was just one part of a crackdown by the MLB this week as four other players were suspended for wagering on baseball while playing in the minors. According to the Associated Press, each of those four players wagered less than $1,000.

Members of the Pirates organization have expressed their disappointment in the ban, including skipper Derek Shelton.

"This is the one non-negotiable that we have in our sport," Shelton told The Athletic. "It’s the one rule that we stand up at the beginning of spring training, it is read to every player. It is posted in our clubhouse. There’s a standard to being a major league player. And this is one of the gold standards, if not the gold standard."

Others have been more sympathetic toward Marcano. Fox Sports Radio host Jonas Knox said Major League Baseball should be "ashamed" for slapping Marcano with a permanent ban since he has already lost so much gambling.

"This is a damn shame, just an outrageous move by Major League Baseball."

@TheJonasKnox does not agree with the punishment for Tucupita Marcano. w/ @LaVarArrington and @Brady_Quinn pic.twitter.com/KCJqXT8Vx6
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) June 5, 2024