All In: Some tips for wagering on women following Super Bowl Sunday
Betting on women’s sports, both literally and as an advocate for positive change, is proving to be as popular as putting down cash on Rihanna’s "Don't Stop the Music” as the opening song at halftime of the Super Bowl.
The Gaming Society, a 2020 startup, has a simple goal: getting more women to bet on women.
It seems to be working.
The website for Gaming Society offers articles on women’s sports, providing betting insights and interactive tutorials.
A new partnership with FanDuel will prioritize “responsibly onboarding more women” to betting, according to a news release.
“At Gaming Society, we are continuing to expand content and engagement features for sports fans, and we are thrilled to partner with FanDuel with a shared goal of making sports betting more inclusive and welcoming to all sports fans, and women fans in particular,” said Jaymee Messler, co-founder of Gaming Society.
Messler’s co-founder is NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.
“FanDuel has driven great awareness among female sports fans – leading into this season, we found that nearly two-thirds of female NFL fans in live sportsbook states were aware of FanDuel,” said FanDuel’s CEO Amy Howe. “We are excited to be the first sports betting operator to partner with Gaming Society. FanDuel knows that women are sports fans, and we want to tap into already established communities that are seeking out sports betting content in environments that speak directly to them.”
I have found the Gaming Society Betting Academy to be an invaluable resource.
A quick scroll through the FanDuel app shows futures bets on women’s golf, women’s basketball, women’s professional tennis and the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament. And Sunday’s other big game — No. 1 University of South Carolina against No. 3 LSU in women’s NCAA basketball on ESPN in a sold-out Colonial Life Arena — was Gaming Society’s featured women’s matchup of the weekend.
The key to attracting more bettors to women’s sports is decent payouts. Women’s tennis is very popular internationally. Just last month, a $10 bet on tennis player Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open paid $100 on FanDuel. Spreading $5 across several players to win tournaments can be profitable and live betting during matches in Grand Slams is very popular.
In NCAA women’s basketball, you can win $60 on a $10 Futures bet on UConn women to win the NCAA national championship. If the fourth-ranked Huskies get back some of their injured players late in the season, watch out.
Fantasy sports is another way to boost fan involvement in sports. And many fantasy leagues are free with no money on the line.
I just joined a Fantasy LPGA league sponsored by PGA/LPGA teaching professional Kay McMahon, who splits her time offering golf instruction in the Capital Region and Orlando areas. Her partner, Eloise Trainor, founder of what is now the Epson Tour, was the brains behind developing the LPGA season-long contest for their golfing network of women and men in the golf industry. They have a sponsor, Nailed Golf, for the email-based league.
“It’s just a way to get more people interested in the LPGA Tour and the women who play on the tour,” said McMahon.
An online fantasy sports app, She Plays, features fantasy games for the WNBA, NWSL, PHF and WNFC.
Women’s sports win if you play.
[email protected] • @joyceb10bassett • timesunion.com/author/joyce-bassett
#womenworthwatching
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This column is sponsored by Times Union Women@Work, the Capital Region’s network of business and professional women. Join today at: https://womenatworkny.com
