The increasing popularity and viewership of women’s sports has coincided with a surge in betting on these events. This interest can be attributed to the emergence of superstar talents such as Caitlin Clark and the growing valuations of women’s sports franchises. ESPN reported that the viewership of the women’s Sweet 16 reached an all-time high, showing a 96% increase from the previous year.
Despite this growing interest in betting on women’s sports, only 26% of bettors are women, according to the American Gaming Association. This presents a significant opportunity for sportsbooks to tap into a largely untapped market of female bettors. The recent LSU-Iowa game captured the attention of fans with a highly anticipated rematch between iconic players Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, coached by Kim Mulkey.
The game between the University of Connecticut and the University of Southern California also drew significant interest, with star player Paige Bueckers shining as UConn secured a victory. FanDuel’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Karol Corcoran, noted the unprecedented interest in women’s sports betting and expressed excitement about the upcoming Final Four matchups. DraftKings and BetMGM also reported strong activity on women’s basketball games on Monday night, with these games surpassing the popularity of NBA and MLB events. Looking ahead to the Final Four, FanDuel predicts Iowa as a 2.5 point favorite over UConn and South Carolina as an 11.5 point favorite over NC State. With fan excitement and engagement with women’s sports betting expected to continue to grow in the coming days, it is clear that this emerging market presents significant opportunities for both sportsbooks and fans alike.
