The Caitlin Clark effect ain’t just about a generational talent electrifying the WNBA hardwood. Clark’s influence is so massive that it has now transcended into the betting world. Caitlin is slowly turning into a marketing phenomenon for betting companies, reshaping the way people bet on women’s basketball. American Football, or even the NBA, for instance, may have always led the betting domain. But now things are changing thanks to the one and only Caitlin Clark.
In the latest EssentiallySports Think Tank podcast episode, our host, Trey Holder, and guest speaker AJ Mazza, Director of Brand at BetMGM, discussed what’s going on in the betting world and how Caitlin Clark is transforming the WNBA’s power in betting platforms.
Mazza’s thoughts on this come from extensive work experience in marketing and brand management. With stints at TD Ameritrade and Fintech Portfolio, he has brought his vast knowledge of marketing to BetMGM.
When asked about the growth of betting in sports, Mazza didn’t waste any time beating around the bush. He straightaway pointed out the rise of women’s sports as the reason behind it. “We’ve seen some growth, obviously, in women’s sports,” he said. He then went on to name the reason behind this sudden growth. “We call it the Caitlin Clark effect. Everybody talks about Caitlin Clark as she deserves, as we should. She really brought women’s hoops front center from the college perspective. So we are seeing a lot of growth in the women’s sports side of things,” Mazza added.
Clark may have left the college space to star for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, but her popularity in women’s college basketball hasn’t dropped one bit. Instead, it’s going bonkers as per the BetMGM Sportsbook data. This season, BetMGM stated it received 35% more money on the sport than last season.
Since the 2022 season, when Clark was just getting started in IOWA, BetMGM has reported an increase of 587% in money being wagered on women’s college hoops.
And, the growth is not just at the college level. Even beyond campus lights, the WNBA is experiencing a significant boost in sports betting through the injection of the Caitlin Clark effect.
How the Caitlin Clark Effect Became a Slam Dunk for Bettors
Since joining the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark has brought record viewership to the WNBA, and her impact is so significant that the women’s sports betting industry depends on her.
Mazza, after crediting Clark for influencing the growth of wagering in women’s college basketball, further added to his thoughts, saying, “We are seeing a lot of growth in the WBNA side of things.”
Last season, in Clark’s first year in the WNBA, BetMGM reported that twice as many women were wagering on the WNBA games. It may not be a top attraction yet compared to other sports, but this steady growth in the WNBA is a positive sign of where things might head.
Not just women’s sports—basketball in general is apparently the most bet-on sport, as per Mazza. “Basketball is probably the most bet-on sport. And that’s not because all the games we are talking international basketball, college basketball, pro basketball; there are so many games that you can wager on. So basketball will always gonna be a strong growth factor for us,” he said.
Right now, the Basketball betting market is already estimated to be worth $4.5B. And it is expected to hit $8.2B in the next decade.
If these audacious numbers are to be hit though, the Caitlin Clark effect needs to continue showing its magic. And without any doubt, women’s sports will be the focal point of this growth already witnessed by BetMGM’s AJ Mazza.
Our EssentiallySports Think Tank podcast specializes in offering eye-opening insights from the global industry leaders. For more such interviews, stay tuned as we bring more marketing experts to our future podcast episodes. This is EssentiallySports Think Tank—Where Sports Meets Smart Content.
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