The WNBA leadership circus has somehow found another way to embarrass itself.
The league’s official social media account posted a video Wednesday appearing to show two of its biggest young stars—Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese—agreeing to a $400 wager on the outcome of a game between their own teams.
Yes, the WNBA itself promoted the apparent bet.
The clip, recorded during the league’s All-Star Weekend in Chicago, showed Reese holding a stack of $100 bills while discussing the wager with Bueckers.
“This is how the rich stay rich,” Bueckers joked during the exchange.
The WNBA later shared the footage ahead of Wednesday night’s Dream-Wings matchup with a laughing caption referencing “the bet” between the two players.
There was just one enormous problem.
The WNBA’s own rulebook explicitly prohibits players from wagering on league games.
After fans began highlighting the apparent violation, the post vanished but not before users captured and circulated the video across social media.
WATCH:
The WNBA posted a video of Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers betting $400 on which woman’s team would win. Then deleted it after realizing this violates league rules. This entire league is run by morons. pic.twitter.com/c37nXDhCVf
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 30, 2026
The controversy only grew after Atlanta rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat Dallas 82-81.
Reese finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Bueckers recorded 17 points and six 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 also reportedly joked during her postgame press conference that she would be requesting her Apple Pay from Bueckers.
Article XIV, Section 5(c) of the league’s newly negotiated 2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits players from directly or indirectly wagering—or attempting to wager—money or anything of value on any aspect of a WNBA competition.
The commissioner is authorized to impose a fine, suspension, dismissal or permanent disqualification following a hearing.
This was not an obscure rule buried in an outdated handbook. The current agreement became effective in March 2026.
The WNBA later admitted that its social media post “missed the mark” and said the matter had been “addressed internally.”
The league claimed the exchange was intended to be lighthearted and said players receive annual training about its anti-gambling policies.
According to the statement obtained by Fox News:
“While the social media post was intended to be lighthearted, WNBA players are well aware of the league’s policies prohibiting betting on WNBA games and receive training every year reinforcing those policies. We recognized that the post missed the mark, removed it shortly after it was published, and addressed the matter internally. We will also use this 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.”
According to The Associated Press, however, Bueckers and Reese will not be punished. So there it is.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert apparently chose to treat the league’s rulebook as optional after her own social media staff promoted the apparent violation to the public.
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