Rising Bets on Women’s Sports Raise Match-Fixing Risk

Gambling specialists warn that rapid growth in wagering on women’s basketball and other women’s sports may raise the risk of match‑fixing and other gambling-related corruption.

Major sportsbooks reported year‑over‑year WNBA betting handle increases of about 150% and 108% in 2024. Betting on women’s college basketball has also risen, helped by high-profile players such as Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd.

Experts say larger, more profitable markets create greater incentives and more opportunities for people to try to manipulate results. A 2021 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report identified gambling-related corruption as a growing integrity risk for women’s sports as leagues become more commercialized.

Current markets for many women’s sports have fewer operators, lower in‑play liquidity and fewer prop markets than men’s events. That makes it harder to place large bets without moving the market. Rising salaries, increased media attention and a growing number of prop markets could change those conditions.

Recent corruption cases in men’s sports show tactics prosecutors target. A former NBA player received a lifetime ban and pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud in 2024 after allegations he manipulated his performance to help gamblers. A guard was indicted in 2025 on similar charges. Federal prosecutors also filed large point‑shaving indictments in men’s college basketball, and two former major‑league pitchers face federal charges alleging manipulation of pitch outcomes to win microbets.

Charging documents in one case say conspirators sought players without lucrative name, image and likeness deals at smaller programs, illustrating how financial vulnerability can make athletes exploitable.

There have been isolated cases in women’s competition. One athlete was suspended for fixing matches at lower‑tier tennis events in 2023 and 2024. Integrity monitors in 2017 flagged betting alerts at a lower rate for women’s tennis than men’s — about one alert for every 557 bettable women’s matches versus one for every 165 men’s matches.

Security and integrity professionals recommend leagues educate players about match‑fixing risks and build integrity measures into operations. Matthew Wein, a national and cyber security expert, recommended investing in prevention teams rather than relying only on investigations after incidents.

Experts note manipulators look for vulnerability such as financial stress, addiction, family pressure, unstable careers or weak safeguards. Leagues, betting operators, integrity units and law enforcement have a limited window to strengthen protections as more bettors and money flow into women’s sports.