New Jersey sportsbooks join Ohio in banning bets on Bama baseball games

New Jersey sportsbooks have joined Ohio in banning wagers on Alabama baseball, according to a report from ESPN Wednesday.

It was ESPN that broke the story Monday about Ohio putting the stop sign on betting on Bama. This after the Tide's 8-6 loss to LSU Friday was flagged by an independent monitoring service after a large bet on LSU was placed in the Great American Ballpark sportsbook in Cincinnati.

The University of Alabama Athletic Department said in a statement Tuesday that it became aware of the situation Monday night and is actively seeking information about the report.

One aspect of that Bama-LSU game that raised some eyebrows was when scheduled starter Luke Holman was a late scratch, according to UA game notes. Reliever Hagan Banks replaced him on an hour's notice. Holman is scheduled to start Thursday night in the series opener against fifth-ranked Vanderbilt.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey weighed in Wednesday night with a statement.

"We are aware of reports related to the suspicion of wagering on Alabama baseball games," Sankey said. "We will continue to monitor available information and any regulatory activity. As many states have acted to legalize sports gambling, we are reminded of the threats gambling may pose to competitive integrity. Together with our member universities, we will continue to emphasize the importance of regulating, overseeing, and providing education related to sports gambling activity."