Since entering the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has brought a seismic shift not only in fan engagement but in sports betting behavior across the women’s basketball scene. Her transition from collegiate superstar to professional phenom has ignited a surge in betting interest that rivals—and in some ways surpasses—that of some of the biggest names in professional sports.

As Clark suits up for the Indiana Fever, her presence alone is reshaping sportsbook trends. According to data from Hard Rock Bet, WNBA games featuring Clark generate a staggering 40% more in total betting handle compared to league averages. Even more telling is the increase in the number of wagers: games with Clark on the floor attract 28.6% more bets than those without her.

Even in the games where she’s absent, Clark’s influence doesn’t entirely fade. Fever matchups still pull in 32% more handle and 17.4% more bets than the league norm, highlighting how her fame continues to draw attention—even from the sidelines.

Prop Bets and Player Popularity: Clark Outpaces Sports Icons

Player props have become a staple of modern sports wagering, and Clark has quickly become a fan favorite in this category. When she plays, 18.4% of all bets on the game center on her props—dwarfing similar figures for well-established stars across other sports.

To put this into perspective: NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes saw just 8.4% of wagers in his games focused on his props during the final stretch of the 2024 season. MLB standout Aaron Judge, despite leading the league in batting average and ranking among the top in home runs and RBIs, drew 11.2% of betting attention in Yankees games. LeBron James and newly crowned NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander registered 12.7% and 14.5% prop shares, respectively. Clark’s 18.4% prop action stands out as a remarkable benchmark, especially considering she’s a WNBA rookie.

Clark’s prop popularity comes with a strong bias—bettors are heavily favoring the over. A remarkable 88% of all Clark-related wagers project her to exceed expectations, underlining her growing status as a betting favorite.

The Caitlin Clark Effect: From March Madness to the WNBA

Clark’s influence didn’t begin in the pros. During the 2024 NCAA Women’s March Madness tournament, Optimove reported a dramatic 540% increase in betting activity for games featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes star. The tournament’s title game—Clark’s Iowa vs. South Carolina—saw the most betting activity, with a 620% rise over the baseline set by other matchups.

Though the men’s tournament still attracted more total bets, the women’s championship game outdrew its male counterpart in viewership, garnering an average of 18.7 million viewers compared to 14.8 million for the men’s final. Clark’s college stardom clearly laid the foundation for her profound betting impact in the WNBA.

Betting Markets Flooded with Support for Clark

With the WNBA All-Star break approaching, Clark’s name dominates future markets. Over half—53.4%—of all MVP bets on Hard Rock Bet back the Fever rookie, accounting for a whopping 64.1% of the total money wagered. For comparison, league-leading Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who averages 23.2 points and fills every corner of the stat sheet, only garners 7.1% of MVP bets despite being the odds-on favorite at -550.

Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, the reigning and three-time MVP, has just 9.9% of MVP wagers placed in her favor—again illustrating Clark’s overwhelming appeal among bettors.

The scoring title race mirrors this trend. Clark holds 55.6% of the bets and a commanding 74.7% of the total handle on the scoring title market. Still, there are challenges: she currently ranks 15th in points per game (16.5) and trails her own teammate, Kelsey Mitchell (19.1 PPG). Moreover, she must appear in at least 70% of the season’s 44 games to remain eligible—having missed 10 so far, her margin for error is razor-thin.

Fever Betting Action Soars Alongside Clark’s Stardom

Indiana’s resurgence, spurred by Clark and a growing roster of talent including Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, and Natasha Howard, has captivated both fans and bettors. The Fever are now the fourth-favorite to win the WNBA title at +600, but their betting numbers tell a story of overwhelming support.

As of mid-July, 73.3% of the handle and 45.2% of all futures bets on Hard Rock Bet for the 2025 WNBA Championship are on Indiana. That’s more than the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (8.7%), defending champions New York Liberty (6.7%), and the Phoenix Mercury (5.1%) combined.

This betting enthusiasm isn’t limited to Hard Rock Bet. At BetMGM, the Fever represents the largest liability for the sportsbook, drawing 45.8% of all championship futures tickets. Clark is also leading the MVP market there, commanding 68.1% of tickets and 74.5% of the handle.

A Generational Talent Driving a New Betting Economy

The numbers confirm what fans and analysts alike have come to recognize—Caitlin Clark is reshaping the economics of women’s basketball. Her impact on viewership, ticket sales, and betting engagement has spurred what Optimove calls a “new women’s basketball economy.”

Rony Vexelman, Optimove’s VP of Marketing, noted, “The substantial boost in overall interest in women’s basketball catalyzed by Caitlin Clark is extraordinary.” The data even invites comparisons to the “Jordan Effect,” which was once estimated to have a $10 billion influence on the U.S. economy.

From March Madness to the WNBA hardwood, Clark is not just drawing eyes—she’s moving money and reshaping betting behavior. Whether chasing MVP honors, scoring titles, or a championship, one thing is clear: Clark is the gravitational force at the heart of the WNBA’s betting surge.