Optimove Insights, the analytical and research arm of Optimove, conducted a comprehensive analysis of betting behavior for WNBA games in May 2024. The results reveal that games featuring Caitlin Clark and her team, the Indiana Fever, saw an average 380% increase in bets compared to the baseline game. The Optimove WNBA results analyzed over 15 million bets placed on 43 WNBA games, highlighting Caitlin Clark's significant influence on betting behavior.   This analysis follows a May 2024 report after March Madness, where games with Clark (at the time with the Iowa Hawkeyes) had an average betting increase of 540% over the baseline game. Optimove Insights analyzed over 4 million bets placed from March 29 to April 9, 2024, for 9 women’s March Madness tournament games. 

WNBA Analysis (see image 1): 

• Games featuring Caitlin Clark and her team, the Indiana Fever, saw an average betting increase of 380% compared to the baseline game, Seattle Storm vs. Washington Mystics. 

• The highest increase in bets was 544% for the Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever game. 

• Games without Caitlin Clark still experienced a 162% increase over the baseline. 

Women’s NCAA March Madness Analysis (see image 2): 

• The Championship game showed a 620% increase in bets over the baseline game, Oregon State vs. South Carolina. 

• Games featuring Caitlin Clark of Iowa averaged a 540% increase in bets. 
• Games without Clark had a 195% increase over the baseline. 

Optimove Insights’ analysis of the 2024 NCAA March Madness tournament for women and the WNBA games played in May reveals that individual players can significantly influence the betting landscape.   According to Rony Vexelman, VP of Marketing at Optimove, “Even before Caitlin Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double in her July 6th game against the New York Liberty – her presence has been a major factor in boosting betting activity. She highlights the importance of star power in driving fan engagement and betting interest. Sophisticated sports betting operators and marketers pay close attention to key players like Caitlin Clark, as their influence extends beyond the game and into the broader betting ecosystem.” 

About Optimove  

Optimove is the first Customer-Led Marketing Platform and the #1 CRM Marketing Solution used by iGaming and Sports Betting operators.  

Its solutions ensure that marketing always starts with the customer (player) instead of a campaign or product. Customer-led marketing has been proven to deliver brands an average increase of 33% in customer lifetime value.  

Optimove’s CRM Marketing Solution provides iGaming and Sports Betting operators with the ability to deploy personalized iGaming Experiences across channels, unified player data, AI-led multichannel orchestration, and statistically credible incrementality measurement for every promotion, campaign, and journey. For more information go to Optimove.com.  

About Optimove Insights  

Optimove Insights is the analytical and research arm of Optimove, dedicated to providing valuable industry insights and data-driven research to empower B2C businesses. 

Attachments

• Image 1: WNBA Analysis
• Image 2: Women’s NCAA March Madness Analysis

Guy Leshno
Optimove
+447716089172
Guy_l@optimove.com