How Caitlin Clark helped ignite ‘unprecedented’ WNBA gambling boom

The seismic growth the WNBA enjoyed in 2024 wasn’t limited to a few more ticket sales or ad buys.

Rather, the arrival of rookie sensation Caitlin Clark helped transform the NBA’s ‘little sister’ into a sudden bull market with a 50-percent spike in attendance, 500-percent increase in merchandise sales, forthcoming expansion teams, and a brand-defining media deal worth $200 million annually.

And with a record 54 million viewers in 2024 – including a league-high 1.18 million per game for Clark’s Indiana Fever – the league also enjoyed a 60-percent jump in sponsors, according to Ad Age.

But the most intriguing metric for anyone betting on the WNBA’s future is, well, betting.