Angel Reese ‘Apple Pay’ Joke Makes WNBA’s Paige Bueckers Betting Post Look Even Worse

Angel Reese joking about betting with Paige Bueckers on their Atlanta Dream vs. Dallas Wings game makes a bad situation even worse.

WNBA players Paige Bueckers (l) and Angel Reese (r) sit courtside during a game | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Wednesday, the WNBA's X account posted a video of Atlanta Dream star forward Angel Reese and Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers betting $400 on their game against each other later that day.

The initial video was taken during a practice at WNBA All-Star Weekend. Angel was seen holding four $100 bills, speaking to Paige about the July 29 Dream vs. Wings game, and saying, "If y'all win, you get the $400."

Paige then said, "And if we lose, then you get to keep it."

"No. You owe me $400," Reese replied.

The WNBA's account posted the video of this exchange then showed them recalling it to Paige while she was entering the arena on Wednesday.

"Bet. I'm standing on that," Paige said after seemingly being reminded about the bet she made.

The X account deleted the post shortly after it was made, presumably because the post was getting backlash for making light of two players violating league rules by betting on a game they're playing in.

The WNBA CBA contains language stating this for such a cirumstance:

“Any player found by the Commissioner after a hearing to have been guilty of wagering (directly or indirectly), or of offering or attempting to wager, money or anything of value on the outcome, score, or any other aspect of any WNBA Competition shall, in the sole discretion of the Commissioner, be subject to a fine, suspension, and/or dismissal and disqualification from any further association with the WNBA.”

Now deleted WNBA post 🤦‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/CipILp5br9

— Kaitlyn 📊🏀 (@zulueditsae) July 29, 2026

It seems that Reese either hasn't seen the backlash surrounding this bet or doesn't think much of. After Atlanta beat Dallas 82-81, Reese was asked specifically about whether Paige will "own up" to the bet they made, and Angel said, "Yeah, I'll be requesting my Apple Pay after this."

Angel Reese on Paige Bueckers: "Yeah, I'll be requesting my Apple Pay after this..." @Reese10Angel https://t.co/uQEmK3SPcp pic.twitter.com/NsNcbqVxNx

— CHAMPSIDE (@theCHAMPSIDE) July 30, 2026

WNBA’s Angel Reese-Paige Bueckers Betting Content Was Painfully Naive

There are several things to unpack here. The WNBA hasn't addressed its own social media post or the bet that Reese and Bueckers made. Time will tell whether they do so, and whether these two star players will see consequences from their actions.

There's little doubt that small bets like these are made between competitors in every sport. These two are clearly good friends, and the bet was made in as good faith as a sports bet can be. The difference is that they aren't done on camera, posted, and then reposted by the league's official social media account. And if they were, the players involved would have the foresight not to make jokes about it afterwards.

Reese and Bueckers made a mistake posting that video. But $400 is essentially nothing to them, and it's not like they were throwing the game. They were betting on their own teams, and the way they went at each other on the court showed how much it meant.

But betting on one's own game is still against the rules, regardless of whether they're betting on themselves. They should've known better, and hopefully will learn from this. The WNBA social account reposting it is inexcusable and a gross display of naivety.

The league can't just brush this situation under the rug, as much as they surely want to. Perhaps they could've if they didn't make light of the bet—but now this self-inflicted spotlight is also on them.