The WNBA posted and then deleted a video from its official X account showing players Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers placing a $400 wager on an Atlanta Dream vs. Los Angeles Sparks game during All-Star practice last week. The bet violates league gambling rules.
In the footage Bueckers of the Dallas Wings tried to laugh off the wager. Atlanta won 82–81, Reese collected, and joked at the post-game press conference that she would 'request a transfer via Apple Pay'. Both players acted as though no rule had been broken.
WNBA policy prohibits players from betting on the outcome, score or any aspect of league games. The commissioner may impose fines, suspension or disqualification. The social media administrator apparently did not understand this when posting. The league now faces a choice: treat the incident as a friendly bet with no threat to competitive integrity, or discipline the players.
The episode comes as bookmakers grow their focus on female bettors. Operators are launching promotions aimed at women wagering on the WNBA. Michelle Malkin, a professor at East Carolina University, notes rising female engagement in betting driven by social acceptance and widespread advertising.
