To commemorate National Women in Sports Day, celebrated on February 2, DraftKings highlighted the top performers in women’s sports in 2021 and early 2022.
DraftKings noted it served as a sponsor of A Day in the Life, an event aimed to provide the ultimate football experience for women by women. The event was hosted by Dr. Jen Welter, the first female NFL coach.
On the eve of the 2022 Winter Olympics, DraftKings Sportsbook said American Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin leads the charge as the most bet female Olympian athlete. Next is Sara Hector, Alpine skier from Sweden, Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, who competes in the biathlon for Norway, Slovakian Alpine skier Petra Vihova, and short track speed skater Suzanne Schilting from the Netherlands.
One month into 2022, tennis star Iga Swiatek has been the most bet on female athlete overall on DraftKings Sportsbook. Thanks to interest in the recently completed Australian Open tournament, the top seven places are taken by tennis players. Swiatek was followed by Ashleigh Barty, Danielle Rose Collins, Madison Keys, Kaia Kanepi, Aryna Sabelenka and Simona Halep.
Places eight through 12 on the list of most bet on female athletes so far this year are filled by MMA fighters, starting with Katlyn Chookagian at eight. Next is Kay Hansen, then Jasmine Jasudavicius, Vanessa Demopoulos and Silvana Gomez Juarez.
The list of most bet on women of 2021 by handle was a clean sweep for tennis players and led by Serena Williams, then Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty, Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabelenka. By number of bets, the top three of Williams, Osaka and Barty stayed the same, then Valentina Shevchenko and Amanda Nunes.
The US Women’s National Soccer Team was the most bet women’s team of 2021 for both handle and number of bets. On the handle side, the next three most popular teams to bet were the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm, with the UConn Women’s Basketball Team fifth. By number of bets, the UConn Women were second behind USWNT, then Stanford Women’s Basketball, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and the University of Arizona Women’s hoops.
National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) began in 1987 as a special day in Washington DC to recognize women’s sports. In 1987, NGWSD also served as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and dedication to promoting equality for women’s sports. Hyman died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986.
NGWSD has since evolved into an event to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, the positive influence of sports participation and the continuing struggle for equality for women in sports. NGWSD is powered by the Women’s Sports Foundation, supported by its team of champion athletes and celebrated throughout the year by schools and community-serving organizations across all 50 states.
Billie Jean King founded the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974 to advance the lives of women and girls through sports and physical activity. The Foundation’s mission is to enable all girls and women to reach their potential in sports and life. It provides financial fuel to aspiring champion athletes, funds groundbreaking research, educates, advocates, and helps communities get girls active.
