FanDuel reports a 163% increase in betting on the WNBA this season.
In the past five years since PASPA was repealed, there has been a significant increase in sports betting throughout the United States. Currently, 36 states have legalized sports wagering and a few more are in the works to do so. It is not surprising that football, baseball, hockey, and basketball are popular choices for fans and bettors to place bets on. However, a recent report shows that there has been a significant rise in interest for betting on the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in the last two years.
According to the Nevada Independent, FanDuel, a top betting company in the US, has confirmed a significant increase in WNBA wagers. Last year, only seven WNBA games reached $1 million in bets for the leading betting operator. However, in 2023, there has been a significant shift with over a 100% rise in comparison to last year’s data.
FanDuel reported that this year, there were three WNBA games where bets exceeded $2 million. Additionally, the number of WNBA games with bets over $1 million increased significantly to a total of 66. When compared to the previous year’s records, this shows a remarkable 163% increase in betting on WNBA games. In addition, the betting operator saw a significant 87% rise in the number of first-time bettors on WNBA games, further highlighting the positive trend.
In the beginning of this year, the American Gaming Association (AGA), a group representing the US gambling industry, revealed that the premier women’s basketball league would be joining their “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” initiative. The WNBA has pledged to promote responsible gambling and support the AGA’s campaign.
The WNBA has experienced a surge in attendance and viewership, resulting in a rise in betting activity.
The surge in betting coincides with the WNBA’s historic success in terms of viewership and attendance. The league announced that this season was its most popular regular season in the past 20 years. Their report revealed a 21% increase in viewership on TV networks such as ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, and ABC, compared to last year’s results.
According to the WNBA, this season was the most popular in 21 years, with the highest attendance in 13 years. Compared to last year, attendance increased by 16%. The total attendance for the season reached 1,587,488, the highest in over 10 years.
