The WNBA management circus has by some means discovered one other approach to embarrass itself.
The league’s official social media account posted a video Wednesday showing to point out two of its greatest younger stars—Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and Atlanta Dream ahead Angel Reese—agreeing to a $400 wager on the result of a sport between their very own groups.
Sure, the WNBA itself promoted the obvious guess.
The clip, recorded throughout the league’s All-Star Weekend in Chicago, confirmed Reese holding a stack of $100 payments whereas discussing the wager with Bueckers.
“That is how the wealthy keep wealthy,” Bueckers joked throughout the alternate.
The WNBA later shared the footage forward of Wednesday evening’s Dream-Wings matchup with a laughing caption referencing “the guess” between the 2 gamers.
There was only one monumental drawback.
The WNBA’s personal rulebook explicitly prohibits gamers from wagering on league video games.
After followers started highlighting the obvious violation, the put up vanished however not earlier than customers captured and circulated the video throughout social media.
WATCH:
The WNBA posted a video of Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers betting $400 on which girl’s crew would win. Then deleted it after realizing this violates league guidelines. This whole league is run by morons. pic.twitter.com/c37nXDhCVf
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 30, 2026
The controversy solely grew after Atlanta rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat Dallas 82-81.
Reese completed with 22 factors and 12 rebounds, whereas Bueckers recorded 17 factors and 6 assists.
Following the victory, Reese appeared to reference the wager on X, writing, “DUBS IN THE MF CHAT” with the hashtag “#cuatrocientos,” Spanish for 400.
She additionally reportedly joked throughout her postgame press convention that she could be requesting her Apple Pay from Bueckers.
Article XIV, Part 5(c) of the league’s newly negotiated 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits gamers from instantly or not directly wagering—or making an attempt to wager—cash or something of worth on any facet of a WNBA competitors.
The commissioner is allowed to impose a tremendous, suspension, dismissal or everlasting disqualification following a listening to.
This was not an obscure rule buried in an outdated handbook. The present settlement grew to become efficient in March 2026.
The WNBA later admitted that its social media put up “missed the mark” and mentioned the matter had been “addressed internally.”
The league claimed the alternate was supposed to be lighthearted and mentioned gamers obtain annual coaching about its anti-gambling insurance policies.
In accordance with the assertion obtained by Fox News:
“Whereas the social media put up was supposed to be lighthearted, WNBA gamers are nicely conscious of the league’s insurance policies prohibiting betting on WNBA video games and obtain coaching yearly reinforcing these insurance policies. We acknowledged that the put up missed the mark, eliminated it shortly after it was printed, and addressed the matter internally. We can even use this as a chance to reemphasize with the gamers concerned that conversations about wagering on WNBA video games, even when supposed as a joke, can have adverse penalties.”
In accordance with The Associated Press, nevertheless, Bueckers and Reese is not going to be punished. So there it’s.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert apparently selected to deal with the league’s rulebook as optionally available after her personal social media workers promoted the obvious violation to the general public.
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