As Caitlin Clark draws closer to breaking the NCAA Division I women’s college basketball all-time scoring record, one sportsbook is offering bettors a chance to predict when and how she will set the all-time mark. However, there will be no Iowa sports betting on the sharp-shooting guard’s performance in her home state.
FanDuel has markets on its online sports betting app giving odds on which game Clark will score her 3,528th point, the quarter of which game, how she will break the record and the quarter and method.
A FanDuel trader tells IowsBets.com the Flutter Entertainment brand first posted the odds on its site on Jan. 8. In addition to the odds on the record-breaking moment, FanDuel also offers a totals market on the number of points the Iowa guard will score in each of her games.
“Given her national appeal, there has been a lot of interest from customers in states where we can offer these types of markets, especially as she approaches the points record,” the trader said.
đź’° Note: Check out Caitlin Clark's NIL Value.
College Sports Betting Rules Vary by State
The key phrase in the trader’s comments is: “where we can offer these types of markets.” As sports betting has grown across the country since the Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018, it’s been up to each state to decide how to regulate it. That has included discussions on how to handle collegiate athletics and the participating student-athletes who are not professionals. Many raised concerns about young athletes being enticed to fix games or facing threats from people who lost bets.
Some states, like New Jersey, drew the line on not allowing wagering on in-state teams. Others allow full wagering on in-state games and player proposition markets like FanDuel offers on Clark.
Iowa, which legalized sports betting nearly five years ago, took a slightly different tack. The state’s rules permit wagering on in-state college teams. However, they prohibit “placing a wager on the performance or non-performance of any individual athlete participating in a single game or match of a collegiate sporting event in which a collegiate team from this state is a participant.”
In short, that means some of Clark’s biggest fans can’t place a bet on her on Iowa sports betting apps. A check of FanDuel’s site also shows the markets are not available in neighboring Illinois, either.
The state of Iowa, by the way, showed a December betting handle of $282.7 million.
Clark Well on Her Way
Clark, who led the Hawkeyes to the NCAA Tournament final as a junior, has upped her game in her senior year. She averages 31 points per game and hits 48.1% of her shots, both career bests. In Thursday’s 96-50 win over Wisconsin, she scored 32 points and surpassed Britney Griner (3,283 points) to become the third all-time leading scorer.
With 3,306 points, she trails former Washington star Kelsey Plum, the current record holder, by 221. If Clark maintains her current pace and stays healthy, she likely will surpass Plum early in the Feb. 22 game at Indiana.
FanDuel’s odds on her breaking it against the Hoosiers are +120. Right behind that, the sportsbook offers odds of +135 that she sets it in the preceding game, a home contest on Feb. 15 against Michigan.
The odds on Clark not setting the mark in the regular season are +2100.There are 11 games left.
A prolific outside shooter, FanDuel has odds of -125 that Clark sets the mark on a three-pointer. A layup comes with odds of +145. The shortest odds for game and quarter are the fourth quarter or overtime against Michigan or the first quarter against Indiana. Both are at +480.
Clark’s next game is Sunday at Ohio State. The 11 a.m. CT game will air on NBC and stream on Peacock. Stay close to IowaBets.com for any betting information on Clark’s quest and for Iowa sports betting promo codes.
