First came the news, then came the jokes, now come the prop bets regarding New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s recent, ahem, off-field activities.
In the midst of yet another Patriots-related, “why on earth would they do that?” allegation, the needs of gamblers have been seen to by online betting sites across the board.
Robert Kraft proposition, or prop bets have now been released, so we thought we’d take a closer look into this seedy story and some of the interesting side bets that it has spawned.
Who is Robert Kraft?
Robert Kenneth Kraft is the 77-year-old businessman who was born in Brookline Mass in 1941 into a Conservative Jewish family who prioritized Hebrew studies over sports.
Kraft is currently the chairman and chief executive officer of the Kraft Group, which is a “diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio.”
In addition, Kraft owns the NFL’s New England Patriots and Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution, as well as the venue where both teams play, Gillette Stadium.
Exactly how rich is he and why?
As of February of 2019, Kraft is said to be worth a total of U.S. $4.3 billion.
Kraft made his fortune in paper manufacturing as the owner of the paper companies Rand-Whitney and International Forest Products.
His professional career began at his father-in-law’s packaging company, Rand-Whitney, located in Worcester, a business that he eventually gained control of through a leveraged buyout in 1968.
Also owned by Kraft: the Patriot Place mall (adjacent to his Gillette Stadium) and half of paper company New-Indy paper.
Is Kraft generous?
In short, yes.
The Krafts have donated over $100 million to a number of humanitarian causes: education, child- and women-related issues, healthcare, youth sports and American and Israeli causes.
For example, Kraft pledged $20 million to help launch the Kraft Family National Center for Leadership and Training in Community Health, designed to improve access to quality healthcare at community health centers throughout New England.
Kraft is the recipient of the 2012 George Halas Award, the 2006 Theodore Roosevelt Award and the 2013 Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence Award, among others.
Is Robert Kraft married?
Kraft was happily married to Myra Nathalie Hiatt in 1963 for forty-eight years.
Together they had four sons, Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua and David.
Myra passed away in 2011 due to ovarian cancer at the age of 68.
What was the Ricki Lander incident about?
Two years after his wife’s sad death, Kraft began dating Ricki Lander, an actress who is 39 years his junior.
At one point, Kraft helped Lander create an audition video for an upcoming Owen Wilson movie where he reads Wilson’s lines, dances briefly, cusses and throws a punch in a scene.
The video was leaked anonymously and became fodder for late night television, but as Kraft himself said, “Owen Wilson has nothing to worry about; I am going to stick to my day job.”
When did Robert Kraft buy the Patriots?
In 1994, Kraft turned down a $75 offer from Patriots team owner James Orthwein to buy out the remainder of the team’s lease at Foxboro Stadium, which, had he accepted, would have most likely move the team to St. Louis.
Orthwein, it turns out, did not want to operate the team long term in New England, and so he accepted Kraft’s offer to purchase the team outright for $172 million.
At the time, that was the highest price ever paid for an NFL team.
What did Kraft do recently to get arrested?
On February 22, 2019, less than three weeks after his team won Super Bowl LIII (his sixth), Kraft was arrested for “soliciting another to commit prostitution.”
Allegedly, Kraft was at a day spa in Jupiter, Florida called the Orchids of Asia Day Spa, where he was video recorded engaging in sexual activity.
The lead investigator claims that Kraft was caught on camera “receiving the alleged acts.”
Why else did Kraft’s day spa make the news?
Local authorities had suspected managers of that strip mall day spa of being involved with human trafficking and had set up hidden cameras inside of the facilities.
The months long investigation had discovered evidence that the women working at the spa had been lured from China as part of an international human-trafficking ring and were reportedly not given days off and were forced to live in meager conditions.
There is no evidence that Kraft was aware of the human trafficking element and he obviously had no idea that an investigation was in play.
Could Kraft face jail time for this?
Yes and no.
Kraft’s charges – two counts of soliciting a prostitute – are secondary misdemeanor charges and carry a maximum penalty of 60 days in prison per charge, or 120 days in jail total.
There’s a great chance that the billionaire’s lawyers will be able to figure a way around jail time, especially given that Kraft is a first time offender and not a flight risk.
Did Kraft admit his guilt?
No, absolutely not.
A spokesperson for Kraft has issued a statement to “categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity.”
“Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further.”
Some experts suspect that using that particular phrasing allows Kraft’s lawyers to eventually claim that any videotaped sexual activity involving Kraft that emerges was consensual and therefore legal.
Why would Kraft pay for sex?
You mean, why would a man worth billions of dollars decide to pay someone $79 for a happy ending?
That’s the question that has football fans and news gawkers in general downright perplexed.
Why would a man worth so much money have to pay directly for sex, and why would he ever take the risk of doing it, and even if he did, why on earth would he do it at a seedy spa in Florida?
None of that has yet to be revealed, and even after the public gradually gets to hear all the juicy details of this story, those particular questions can only be answered by Kraft the billionaire himself.
How has the NFL reacted to the Kraft accusation?
The league has confirmed that it is “aware of the ongoing law enforcement matter and will continue to monitor developments.
So far, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hasn’t said anything to the media about the Kraft situation.
Goodell has said in the past that his job is to act in service of “protecting the shield,” meaning to protect the image of the league and its ownership groups, which is bad news for Kraft.
Kraft could be facing (at minimum) a six-game suspension and a $500,000 penalty, similar to what Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Arsay was penalized after being arrested in 2014 for driving while intoxicated and possessing controlled substances.
How have the NFL players reacted to the Kraft accusation?
Many NFL players have gone to Twitter to share their reactions, some serious and others cutting up.
Here are a few:
What are the current Robert Kraft prop bets?
As always happens when a controversial football news story breaks, odds makers feel the need to get in on the action and they begin to assemble a list of prop bets that gamblers can take advantage of.
Never gamble what you don’t have, obviously, but take a look at some of the wagers listed below, including their current odds.
Might be worth cracking open your kitty-bank to place a couple of wild bets on Mr. Kraft’s outcome.
Good luck!
NFL suspension results
With this prop bet, keep in mind that a suspension will most likely only occur if Kraft is found guilty by a Florida court of law.
Only Fined +400 (4/1)
Only Suspended +700 (7/1)
Both Fined and Suspended -300 (1/3)
Neither Fined or Suspended +325 (13/4)
Will Robert Kraft be found guilty or plead guilty?
A jury of Kraft’s peers will decide whether he’s guilty as charged, but the odds don’t seem to favor him right now.
YES -500 (1/5)
NO +300 (3/1)
? 76.9% chance of a Guilty verdict
Will he serve any jail time in 2019 or 2020 for soliciting prostitution?
If Kraft were poor, this would be a fairer bet, but there’s no way a billionaire first time offender is doing short time for a prostitution charge.
Yes +200
No -300
How much will Robert Kraft be fined?
With a guilty charge in court will come a fine, but whether it breaks the million-dollar mark is the question.
Over/Under 1 Million Dollars
How long will Bob Kraft be suspended?
If Kraft is found guilty, he’ll be suspended for sure, but for how long is the question here.
1-4 Weeks +200 (2/1)
5-8 Weeks +125 (5/4)
9-17 Weeks +140 (7/5)
Will Robert Kraft still own the Patriots week 1 2019?
One look at the odds and you can see that there’s very little chance that this situation will result in Kraft losing his team, but in today’s sensitive climate, it’s no absolute guarantee he’ll keep it, either.
YES -2000 (1/20)
NO +1000 (10/1)
? 8.7% chance Robert Kraft is forced to Sell Patriots
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