There’s something deeply wrong when a professional basketball game has to be paused because a neon green dildo lands on the court – again.
But what started as a juvenile stunt has quickly become a disturbing trend across the WNBA. Over the past week, four separate incidents involving sex toys being thrown onto the court have forced stoppages in play. And now, in a plot twist that makes satire redundant, you can bet on it.
Yes, some platforms have reportedly begun offering prop bets on which day(s) the next sex toy will be hurled mid-game. Others speculate on which arena might see the next incident. It’s the kind of development that makes you double-check your calendar to see if it’s still April Fools’.
Let me be clear, this isn’t a harmless joke gone viral. It’s a mix of attention-seeking, misogyny, and now – disturbingly – commercial opportunity. Turning disruption into a betting market incentivises it.
The anatomy of a trend (and a problem)
The incidents span multiple cities and teams: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham found herself narrowly missing a flying object just days after warning fans that one of these stunts was going to hurt someone.
In Phoenix, an 18-year-old man was arrested after a sex toy struck a man and his 9-year-old niece. The toy had reportedly been purchased the day before. He called it a “stupid prank.” That stupidity now comes with criminal charges.
According to data from YouGov, those aged 18-34 make up 47% of WNBA fans and 42% of NBA fans. Women make up a 44% of all WNBA fans, slightly higher than their share in the NBA fan group (40%).
To their credit, the WNBA has responded swiftly by ensuring offenders ejected, banned, and in some cases, arrested. Coaches have condemned the behaviour too, but policing the crowd is one thing. Policing a betting market built on that behaviour is another.
Betting markets: novelty or manipulation?
In a sport where everything from tip-off winners to triple-double combos are fair game for wagers, novelty markets have long been part of the offering; think royal baby names or which colour Gatorade will be dumped at the Super Bowl. But when the market involves deliberate disruptions that gamblers can influence, we enter murky waters.
If you place a bet that the next dildo will be bright green, then walk into an arena with said toy and toss it yourself, that’s not gambling. That’s market manipulation.
It’s also a basic breakdown in sporting integrity. Just imagine if someone bet on a fan storming the field during an NFL game, and then hopped the barricade themselves to cash in. The consequences would be severe.
But when it happens courtside in the WNBA, we’re at risk of laughing it off.
The uncomfortable subtext
Strip away the absurdity and this is about something uglier.
The ongoing sexualisation of women’s sports. The decision to throw a sex toy – not a shoe, not a water bottle, not a beach ball – isn’t random. It’s a deliberate choice, rooted in disrespect and, for some, performative dominance.
That sportsbooks might now be profiting from this sends the worst possible message: that the humiliation of women athletes is just another betting opportunity.
And this isn’t a “WNBA problem.” It’s a fan behaviour problem, a platform problem, and increasingly, a regulation problem. Social media virality only fuels it. And in a year when the league is gaining record viewership, new sponsorships, and wider cultural relevance, the fact that this is dominating headlines feels especially insulting.
Final buzzer
Yes, it’s absurd.
But absurd things can still do real damage. If we’ve reached the point where betting on a flying dildo is considered “engagement,” then we’ve lost the plot.
The WNBA deserves better. So do its players. And frankly, so do the fans (the real ones, not the ones treating arenas like playgrounds for their social media clout or betting slip).
