Extremely online controversy erupted at the end of July when the WNBA’s social media account posted a video of star players Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese discussing a harmless and friendly $400 bet.
The exchange occurred during All-Star Weekend. Reese, now with the Atlanta Dream, and Bueckers, who plays for the Dallas Wings, appeared to jokingly agree that the player whose team lost their next matchup would owe the other $400.
The league later posted a video referencing the wager shortly before the Dream and Wings played on July 29, then deleted it.
The bet seemed to violate league gambling rules, but the transgression pales in comparison to the unethical commercial relationships the WNBA and other sports leagues have with online gambling companies. Those relationships involve promoting the most dangerous form of sports betting, radically different from an honest, handshake wager between peers.
WNBA Gambling Rules
The league’s collective bargaining agreement prohibits players from wagering, directly or indirectly, money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or any other aspect of a WNBA competition.
This appears to include bets such as the one Bueckers and Reese made, along with the exponentially more serious use of a sportsbook or bookie to place a wager for or against one’s own team or performance. The NBA has been hit by numerous scandals in recent years involving players and/or their acquaintances using betting apps for allegedly illegal purposes.
For the WNBA, potential punishment is left to the commissioner and can include a fine, suspension, or permanent ban.
WNBA Deletes Content
The WNBA said the interaction was intended as a joke, that the social media post “missed the mark,” and that the matter was handled internally.
The league said that it won’t discipline either player. The league added that players receive annual education about its gambling policy.
By promoting the exchange itself, did the WNBA risk normalizing conduct that its rules appear to prohibit? Perhaps. Was there an integrity concern here? That seems very unlikely.
End Result
Atlanta defeated Dallas 82-81 after the Wings surrendered a late lead. Reese finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Bueckers scored 16 points.
Asked about the wager following the Dream’s 82-81 win, Reese appeared to double down on the friendly bet.
“I’ll be requesting my Apple Pay after this,” Reese said.
She also appeared to reference the bet by posting a hashtag with “cuatrocientos” (400 in Spanish) on X after the game.
Based on Reese’s comments, it appears this type of wagering between players will continue behind the scenes.
Bottom Line
Rules may be rules, but this friendly low-stakes wager was harmless.
The WNBA has several commercial relationships with online gambling companies, including DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.
The key takeaway from the $400 wager between Bueckers and Reese is that it was not predatory. There was no “house” involved; it was simply a handshake agreement between two friends.
It’s the kind of bet that sports fans should consider if they are dead set on a wager, assuming they don’t have a problem with gambling. A friendly bet with a family member or friend, in person or from afar, can be a much healthier alternative to betting on a sports game through a gambling app.
Gambling apps can be extremely dangerous due to their design features and direct marketing.
Sports gambling apps, like the ones the WNBA has relationships with, can contribute to extreme financial harm to users. The Bueckers-Reese bet was the kind of bet that may pose comparatively minimal risks.
The WNBA was correct to shrug it off, but it should also disentangle itself from partnerships with gambling apps.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
