As interest in women's basketball continues to grow, so does the betting market in both the WNBA and college basketball. That was on full display in historic fashion for the 2022 Women's NCAA Tournament.
This year's women's tournament took more bets and money than any ever, according to at least two sportsbooks. With a standalone slot on ESPN on Sunday night, the national championship game between South Carolina and UConn was the most-bet women's game ever at both BetMGM and PointsBet.
South Carolina entered the tournament as a +180 favorite and cashed with a 64-49 win, covering the 4.5-point spread easily.
It wasn't just the national championship that saw an interest, but the tournament as a whole set records from a betting standpoint. The amount of individual bets on the women's NCAA Tournament increased by 71 percent at PointsBet. The total amount of dollars wagered was 488 percent higher compared to last year, PointsBet Trading Analyst Michael Korn told Action Network.
The final game featured all you could ask for as a fan. There was star power on the court with Paige Bueckers and Aliyah Boston, two well-known coaches in Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley and top programs in the country. But the tournament was full of special players and highlights.
In the Elite Eight, UConn needed a heroic effort from Bueckers to top No. 1 seed NC State in double overtime. That was after NC State advanced past Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 thanks to a miraculous fourth quarter comeback.
A pair of underdogs made runs with No. 10 South Dakota falling just short in the Sweet 16 to Michigan and No. 10 Creighton advancing to the Elite Eight.
Taylor Van Lith broke out as a star for Louisville. Defending champion Stanford was stopped by UConn in a Final Four classic. But in the end, no one could match South Carolina, the undisputed best team in the country throughout the season.
The betting market records undoubtedly are impacted by the increase in legal sports betting options across the country. However, the increased ratings continue a trend over recent years.
Last year's championship game was the most-viewed title game since 2014. UConn's Elite Eight win this year over NC State was the most-watched women's game in 16 years. As a whole, the Elite Eight viewership was up 29%, according to Nielsen estimates.
