A friendly $400 wager between Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers on Wednesday’s game between the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings has sparked outcry on social media.
A clip of the bet, which was made during WNBA All-Star Weekend, was posted by the league’s social media team. A few hours before the Dream-Wings tipoff, the WNBA scrambled to take down the video.
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The Reese-Bueckers exchange had already gone viral before it was deleted, triggering strong reactions from the WNBA world.
Viral Dream-Wings Bet by Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers Ignites WNBA Controversy
Article XIV, Section 5 of the WNBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement covers gambling. Under letter C, the rule states:
“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.”
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The CBA unequivocally prohibits wagering/betting, even if it’s a side bet among friends/opponents, regardless of the amount or the channel, which is why the WNBA community promptly erupted.
“WNBA promotes All-Star Weekend gambling between players on its OWN X ACCOUNT!! Idiots. I’m sure this is banned activity by terms of the CBA. Suspensions in order all around, right? Especially for Angel Reese, flashing the cash won?” an X user wrote.
“Any comments, Cathy Engelbert? Or will u continue to hide like it seems u do for every controversy? How dumb is your staff to actually post this, Cathy?” another X user questioned.
“If Caitlin Clark or Sophie Cunningham were betting with opposing players with real money (gambling) on games, they would be reprimanded or fined. @WNBA what do you think? Is this smart or permitted? What if they bet on hurting a player, like a bounty? Would that get them banned? So dumb,” a Caitlin Clark supporter reasoned.
“Wait… so WNBA, when are we fining and suspending Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers?” a league supporter wondered.
“I cannot believe the official @WNBA account actually posted this video of Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese betting on tonight’s game they are playing in. Should the players be disciplined?” an Atlanta Braves fan tweeted.
“Flashback to last season where fans falsely accused Caitlin Clark of illegally gambling with Dave Portnoy in the season opener to cash his triple-double bet. None of them will say a word about Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers actually gambling live on video,” another Clark supporter tweeted.
The WNBA’s caption on the video featuring Reese and Bueckers betting against each other was telling.
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“Paige Bueckers on the bet she made with Angel Reese at All-Star Weekend on tonight’s matchup.”
Under the CBA rules, money does not even have to be involved. “Anything of value” that is exchanged “indirectly or directly” constitutes gambling, which is prohibited.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, already under heavy scrutiny, is in an unenviable and awkward situation. If the rules are to be followed, Reese and Bueckers could face penalties.
The WNBA community is eagerly waiting to see if she punishes two of the league’s biggest stars or if she turns a blind eye to what looked like a clear violation of the rules.
