The WNBA has removed a video from its official X account showcasing players Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers placing a $400 bet on a game. Captured by other users on the social media platform, the video revealed a breach of the league's gambling regulations.
In the footage, Bueckers, who plays for the Dallas Wings, attempts to downplay the seriousness of the wager made during an All-Star practice last week. The wager centered on which team, the Kings or Atlanta Dream, would emerge victorious on Wednesday.
Although the wager was made in a light-hearted manner and differs from the significant betting scandals plaguing the NBA this year, it contradicts league policy. According to the WNBA's rules, "Any player found by the Commissioner after a hearing to have been guilty of wagering (directly or indirectly), or of offering or attempting to wager, money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or any other aspect of any WNBA Competition shall, in the sole discretion of the Commissioner, be subject to a fine, suspension, and/or dismissal and disqualification from any further association with the WNBA."
It appears that the operator of the WNBA's X account may have overlooked this rule when sharing the video.
In a subsequent post-game press conference, Reese seemed unaware of the implications of the bet. Following her team's narrow win of 82-81, Reese jokingly fielded questions about her wager with Bueckers, mentioning, "I will be requesting my Apple Pay" to collect on her winnings.
As interest in sports betting grows, sportsbooks are actively targeting female bettors, launching promotions specifically aimed at women interested in wagering on WNBA games. Michelle Malkin, a professor at East Carolina University who heads the Gambling Research & Policy Initiative, observed that this shift is partly due to increased social acceptance of gambling, which is now widely advertised.
Looking ahead, the WNBA's response may be crucial. The league might opt to view the incident as an innocuous bet that doesn't endanger the integrity of the sport, or it could face the players with potential fines and suspensions. Regardless, Reese and Bueckers are likely to attract lucrative advertising deals with gambling companies once their playing careers conclude.
