WNBA Clarifies Deleted Bet Post Involving Reese and Bueckers

WHO:

Newsweek - The WNBA, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers

The New York Times - WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert

NY Post - Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers

WHAT:

The New York Times - The WNBA stated that the players involved will not be punished for the incident, according to a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The New York Times - The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement prohibits any form of betting on WNBA games, with specific penalties outlined for violations.

The New York Times - The WNBA's statement emphasized that players are trained annually on the league's policies prohibiting betting on games.

The New York Times - The WNBA stated that it will use the incident as an opportunity to reemphasize with the players involved that conversations about wagering on WNBA games, even when intended as a joke, can have negative consequences.

The New York Times - Angel Reese stated during a postgame news conference, “Yeah, I’ll be requesting my Apple Pay after this,” referring to the wager with Bueckers.

The New York Times - The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement includes a provision that any player found guilty of wagering on the outcome of a WNBA competition may face penalties including fines, suspension, or disqualification from the league.

TMZ - The WNBA's social media team posted a video showing Reese and Bueckers appearing to make a friendly $400 wager on the game, which was deleted shortly after publication.

The New York Times - The WNBA stated that the players involved will not be punished for the incident, according to a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The New York Times - Bueckers' Wings lost to Reese's Dream 82-81 in the game referenced in the wager.

The New York Times - Reese finished the game with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting, while Bueckers had 16 points and six assists.

TMZ - The WNBA posted a video showing Reese and Bueckers appearing to make a $400 wager on a game, which was later deleted.

The New York Times - The WNBA stated that the post was intended to be lighthearted but acknowledged it missed the mark and was removed shortly after publication.

The New York Times - The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement prohibits any form of betting on WNBA games.

The New York Times - Reese finished a game with 22 points, while Bueckers had 16 points.

WHERE:

The New York Times - The video was filmed during a practice session, and the game referenced was between the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings.

WHEN:

The New York Times - The WNBA All-Star Game took place on a Saturday, prior to the video post.

The New York Times - The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement was signed before the current season.

WHY:

The New York Times - The WNBA's decision to promote the wager struck a nerve given the current landscape surrounding sports betting.

The New York Times - The WNBA's statement emphasized that players are trained annually on the league's policies prohibiting betting on games.

HOW:

The New York Times - The WNBA's social media team posted a video showing Reese and Bueckers appearing to make a $400 wager on a game, which was later deleted.

The New York Times - The WNBA's statement emphasized that the post was intended to be lighthearted but acknowledged it missed the mark and was removed shortly after publication.

The New York Times - The WNBA's social media team posted the video, which was quickly captured and shared by users on X before it was deleted.

(UPDATED July 31, 2026 02:51 UTC)

The WNBA has announced that players involved in a recent incident will not face punishment, according to a league source. This comes after a video surfaced showing players Reese and Bueckers appearing to make a $400 wager on a game, which was subsequently deleted by the league's social media team. The WNBA's collective bargaining agreement strictly prohibits any form of betting on its games, and players receive annual training on these policies.

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(UPDATED July 31, 2026 00:19 UTC)

The WNBA has announced that it will use a recent incident involving player wagers as a chance to remind athletes that even joking about betting on games can lead to serious consequences. In a postgame news conference, Angel Reese mentioned, “Yeah, I’ll be requesting my Apple Pay after this,” in reference to a wager with Bueckers. The league's collective bargaining agreement clearly states that players found guilty of wagering on WNBA games could face penalties such as fines, suspension, or even disqualification.

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(UPDATED July 30, 2026 22:22 UTC)

In a lighthearted moment that quickly turned controversial, the WNBA's social media team posted a video of players Reese and Bueckers making a friendly $400 wager on their recent game, which was later deleted. The league has confirmed that neither player will face punishment for the incident, despite the post missing its intended tone. In that game, Bueckers' Wings narrowly lost to Reese's Dream with a final score of 82 to 81, as Reese scored 22 points and Bueckers contributed 16 points and six assists.

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(UPDATED July 30, 2026 19:26 UTC)

The WNBA recently faced scrutiny after posting a video featuring players Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers appearing to make a $400 wager on a game, which was later deleted. The league acknowledged that the post, intended to be lighthearted, missed the mark and emphasized that its collective bargaining agreement prohibits any form of betting on WNBA games. In the game referenced, Reese scored 22 points while Bueckers added 16, and the video was filmed during a practice session ahead of a matchup between the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings.