It’s not a surprise that the two largest American TV markets also have two basketball teams. New York City is the largest TV market, and the Big Apple is home to the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Los Angeles is the second largest TV market, and they have the L.A. Lakers and L.A. Clippers.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the top 10 NBA teams by market size

1. New York Knicks / Brooklyn Nets

Image credit: RarraRorro/Shutterstock

• Media Market: New York City-Newark, NJ-Stamford, CT
• TV Market Share: 7.6 million
• Population: 19.2 million

The metro region around New York City is comprised of the “Tri-State Area” that includes suburbs in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. With a population over 19 million, there’s multiple teams for every major sport.

The NBA market has the Knicks and Nets. The MLB has the New York Yankees and New York Mets. The NFL has the New York Giants and New York Jets. The NHL has three teams with the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils.

Even though the Nets have never won an NBA championship and the Knicks have not won a title in over 50 years, the two NBA franchises in Gotham are some of the most valuable NBA teams thanks to their juicy media TV market of nearly 7.6 million and arena locations in Midtown Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn, making them top of the NBA teams by market size rankings.

2. Los Angeles Lakers / Los Angeles Clippers

Image credit: Deo Gracia Cahyardi/Shutterstock

• Media Market: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
• TV Market Share: 5.9 million
• Population: 12.8 million

The L.A. Lakers are the most popular sports team in Southern California. And when Hollywood stars want to catch a pro sports team, they’ll be spotted sitting courtside in celebrity row at a Lakers game. Only the Boston Celtics won more NBA titles than the Lakers, who have been a premier NBA franchise ever since Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team in the late 1970s.

The media market in the Los Angeles area is gigantic with nearly 13 million residents and a TV market share that’s almost six million, which is why the City of Angels can sustain two NBA teams and why they are some of the richest NBA teams in the league.

The Clippers are the second team in L.A., and even though they’re not as popular as the Lakers, they’re still ranked #5 as the Top 5 Richest NBA Teams and worth over $4.65 billion.

The SoCal TV market is so huge that it could’ve supported three NBA teams. In the early 2010s, the Sacramento Kings were up for sale and one prospective buyer explored the possibility of relocating the Kings to Orange County, California where they would play their home games in Anaheim in the shows of Disneyland. When the Kings were eventually sold, the new owner vowed to keep the team in Sacramento.

3. Chicago Bulls

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• Media Market: Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL
• TV Market Share: 3.65 million
• Population: 9.2 million

Chicago is known as America’s “Second City” and the heart of the Midwest. Michael Jordan led the Bulls to six championships during the 1990s, and their dynasty imprinted Chicago as an elite basketball town in the NBA. Their sprawling population dips into southern Wisconsin and northeastern Indiana. The Bulls have a huge reach in the Midwest thanks to a TV market of 3.65 million viewers and a population of over 9.2 million.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

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• Media Market: Philadelphia, PA-Camden, NJ-Willington, DE
• TV Market Share: 3.17 million
• Population: 6.2 million

The City of Brotherly Love is the fourth-largest TV market and just a smidge ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth with 3.17 million viewers. By itself, Philadelphia only has 1.5 million residents, but a massive suburban sprawl surrounds the city extends into two neighboring states. The “mini-tri-state” area includes most of Delaware, southern New Jersey, and eastern Pennsylvania.

If you live in some parts of “South Jersey,” basketball fans get access to TV stations in both NYC and Philly which means they can watch the 76ers, Knicks, and Nets.

5. Dallas Mavericks

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• Media Market: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
• TV Market Share: 3.13 million
• Population: 8.1 million

Everything is big in Texas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex that encompasses over eight million people. The Dallas Mavericks have the benefit of playing in the fifth-largest TV market and fourth-largest metro area in terms of population.

Football is a religion in Texas, so basketball is not the primary sport in the Lone Star state. The Mavs have stiff competition during football season particularly on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday evenings are designated for high school football statewide (that’s when the term “Friday Night Lights” was coined), and there’s no shortage of college football teams to fill up the TV schedule on Saturday. Of course, all eyes are on the Dallas Cowboys on Sundays. However, as soon as football season ends, the Mavs become the biggest game in town.

Pro hoops fans in the Big D had a lot to cheer about this past season. The Mavs won the Western Conference title and advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals, before their magical run ended when they lost to the Celtics in the championship.

6. Houston Rockets

Image credit: Malik Hussnain/Shutterstock

• Media Market: Houston-The Woodlands, TX
• TV Market Share: 2.77 million
• Population: 7.5 million

Like Dallas, basketball fans in Houston must compete with the insane popularity of football in Texas. The Rockets have struggled in recent years, but the franchise is highly valued thanks to their robust TV market and population of over 7.5 million and steadily growing.

Houston saw a small boost in population when displaced residents from New Orleans relocated to Houston after Hurricane Katrina. Right now, Houston’s TV market reaches nearly 2.8 million homes.

7. Atlanta Hawks

Image credit: RarraRorro/Shutterstock

• Media Market: Atlanta-Roswell-Sandy Springs, GA
• TV Market Share: 2.73 million
• Population: 6.3 million

The Atlanta Hawks are thankful that Atlanta is the largest TV market in the South, because they find themselves in steep competition with baseball and college football. The beloved and popular Atlanta Braves will always being their primary sports team in Atlanta, but the state of Georgia is also in the heart of college football country.

As a result, SEC games are the highest-rated sport on TV. Georgia recently won two college football championships, but the Hawks are lucky they have a sprawling population of over six million to support them.

8. Toronto Raptors

Image credit: JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock

• Media Market: Toronto-Hamilton-Niagara Falls, Canada
• TV Market Share: N/A
• Population: 6.2 million

When looking at metro population figures in the U.S. and Canada, Toronto is the third largest overall behind New York and L.A. with 3.2 million people. The greater Toronto area, which extends to the border at Niagara Falls, reaches over 6.2 million.

The Toronto Raptors are the only non-American NBA team. Vancouver used to have a franchise, but the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis in 2001. Even though ice hockey is the most-popular team sport in Canada, basketball fans love the Raptors.

Canadian markets are not tracked by Nielsen ratings, but we estimate that Toronto’s TV market is no lower than #8 on our list and could be as high as #7 when compared to their American counterparts.

9. Boston Celtics

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• Media Market: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA
• TV Market Share: 2.6 million
• Population: 4.9 million

The Boston Celtics are the current NBA champion, and the franchise now holds the record with 18 titles. Boston is a frenetic sports town, and the greater New England area loves their Boston sports teams including the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and the Celtics.

The Celtics’ regional reach encompasses all of New England which includes the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut.

The actual Boston metroplex is only 4.9 million, and their local TV market is only 2.6 million strong. However, New England has over 15 million people. That’s a lot of wicked-loyal fans.

10. Golden State Warriors

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• Media Market: San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
• TV Market Share: 2.58 million
• Population: 4.5 million

The Bay Area in Northern California is really a sprawling megalopolis linked by three diverse cities anchored by San Francisco with Oakland to the east and San Jose to the south. Silicon Valley is a part of the southern-most part of the Bay Area, so this media market has one of the highest concentrations of wealth and nerd power on the planet.

The Bay Area has roughly 4.5 million residents, but many of them caught basketball fever over the last decade and support the Golden State Warriors. Steph Curry, one of the best point guards of all time, led the Warriors to four championships since 2015, which helped boost the team’s and valuation as a franchise.

The Warriors used to play their games in Oakland but recently relocated to a new arena in downtown San Francisco. Despite the upswing in interest brought about by the Golden State Warriors’ success, they, for the moment still bring up the tail of our NBA teams by market size rankings.

Small Markets and Expansion

The New Orleans Pelicans play in the smallest American TV market in the NBA and they’re ranked #53 overall. Memphis, home of the Grizzlies, is the second-smallest TV market in the NBA and ranked #48.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area is the largest metroplex in America that does not have an NBA team. They are ranked #12 overall, but there’s no indication there will land a future franchise with two teams already in Florida with the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

The Seattle-Tacoma metroplex is the second largest TV market without an NBA team and ranked #13. Seattle, located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, had the SuperSonics before the team was sold in 2006. They relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 and rebranded as the Thunder.

One of the biggest open secrets in the NBA is that Seattle will be one of the cities that lands a new franchise team when the league eventually votes to expand from 30 to 32 teams. Las Vegas is the other city, but their TV market is only ranked #40.

The other largest American TV markets that do not have an NBA team include Raleigh-Durham at #22, St. Louis at #24, and Nashville at #26. Nashville has been on the shortlist of potential expansion teams, but they’ll have to wait another decade or longer before a new NBA team arrives in Music City, USA.

Montreal is the second-largest city in Canada and its population would be sixth overall if you combine the U.S. and Canada. Montreal could be considered for an NBA team if the league eventually grows to 36 teams by the late 2030s. So while these are the current NBA Teams by market size, this list looks set to shift in the near future.

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A pick’em is a rare occurrence when oddsmakers do not see any difference between two teams. The odds are so close that sportsbooks are unable to determine which team is better, or who will be the betting favorite or the underdog. In these games, oddsmakers will set the point spread at zero, or a pick’em.

What Is PK In Betting?

The PK wager, or pick’em in betting, is a straightforward two-way choice: Team A or Team B. In this instance there is no point spread involved. You simply pick the team you think will win, and that’s it.

If you make a PK bet in soccer or football and the game results in a draw or tie, then the wager is considered a push and you get your money back.

Do not confuse a pick’em bet with a moneyline bet. If you make a moneyline wager on a soccer match, there could be three possible outcomes: Team A wins, Team B wins, or a draw.

How PK Betting Works

A PK bet is simplified because you have only two choices. Once you made a decision on a team you like, then it’s time to bet and you pick’em!

At American sportsbooks and apps, a pick’em bet will often be marked with “PK” in the straight bets, or the point spread section. Sometimes will be marked like a point spread designation of -0 or +0.

At Asian and some European sportsbooks, a PK bet in soccer will be designated as Draw No Bet (DNB).

If you win, you earn back your stake plus winnings. If you lose, then you lose your entire wager. If the outcome is a tie or draw, then you get your money back.

Examples Of PK Betting

Many North American sports leagues utilize a pick’em wager in events that use a point spread in games. Variations of this are a run line in baseball, or a puck line in ice hockey.

In North American football (including the NFL, college football, or the CFL), point spread bets are the most popular form of wagering. Two teams will be designated with a point spread, which is a margin of points to level the playing field. If the point spread is a zero, it will be designated a pick’em or PK.

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events every year. It’s also the largest betting day of the year in the USA. Ten years ago, Super Bowl XLIX was so evenly matched between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks that oddsmakers could not determine which team was better. It’s rare that a game lands on a pick’em. It’s even rarer when that’s the point spread in the Super Bowl. To understand the significance of a pick’em line, you just need to take a look at NFL historical betting data. A pick’em occurs approximately 1.1% of the time.

The Super Bowl is played on a different neutral site every year, so neither team gets the benefit of a home-field advantage. If the Patriots or Seahawks played on their home turf, there would’ve been a clear favorite. However, the home-field advantage was neutralized in the Super Bowl between two equally matched teams. As a result, sportsbooks in Las Vegas and all around the world set the point spread in Super Bowl XLIX as a pick’em, or PK.

A pick’em might seem rare in football, but they happen more frequently compared to basketball.

A pick’em doesn’t always mean that two teams are evenly matched, but depending on a specific situation, there is no clearcut favorite.

Injuries are a major factor in determining if a specific game is listed as a pick’em. The New York Knicks could open as a -2 favorite against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Playoffs. If a starter is later listed on the injury report, then oddsmakers could move the point spread to a pick’em.

Home/away splits are another factor. On paper, one team is slightly better than the other if they played on a neutral site. For example in the NFL regular season, the Seattle Seahawks have a noticeable home-field advantage in front of their boisterous fans and in a stadium that’s so loud that opposing teams struggle to communicate with each other. The San Franciso 49ers are the better team and should be a two-point betting favorite at a neutral site. However, the 49ers must go on the road and play the Seahawks in a hostile environment, so the point spread will be moved to a pick’em.

Understanding PK Odds And Payouts

The odds for a straight pick’em bet might be slightly lower than a moneyline wager, but the simplicity is why it’s popular.

With a moneyline wager in soccer, there are three potential outcomes including a draw. That’s a 33.3% chance that any of those outcomes will win. With a pick’em bet and only two potential outcomes, there’ a 50% chance that your wager wins.

Bettors will opt for a PK bet when there are two evenly matched teams. This often happens in major championship events li the FIFA World Cup Final, UEFA European Championship, or the MLS Cup Game.

The standard price for a pick’em bet in a college football or NFL is -110 odds, or you must lay $110 to win $100. Keep this in mind because sometimes it’s better to bet a pick’em, and there are some instances where a moneyline bet is a better option.

Keep an eye out for situations when the point spread is a pick’em but there’s a discrepancy in the moneyline. In Week 1 of the upcoming 2024 NFL season, the New York Giants host the Minnesota Vikings. A few sportsbooks listed the line as a pick’em. However, the moneyline prices are different for each team with the Giants at -115 and the Vikings at -105.

If you want to bet the Giants, a pick’em bet is the better option. If you make a moneyline wager on the Giants, you will have to lay $115 to win back $100. Pick’em bets are -110 odds, so you’ll only have to lay $110 to win $100.

If you think the Vikings will win, then a moneyline wager is a better bet than a pick’em. If you bet the Vikings on the moneyline, you only have to lay $105 to win $100, versus a pick’em bet where you must lay $110 to win $100.

Pros And Cons Of PK Betting

Some cautious bettors prefer pick’em bets, or draw no bet in soccer. It’s often viewed as the safest bet to make because you only have a 33.3% chance of losing, with a 33.3% chance of winning and a 33.3% chance of getting your money back if the game results in a push.

One of the negatives about betting a pick’em is that it’s hard to predict the outcome.

When an oddsmaker handicaps a game, a multitude of factors are considered and explored. Even during an era of analytics and advancements in AI technology, it’s still amazing when a game is listed as a pick’em.

If oddsmakers and sportsbook experts are unable to make a decision after analyzing even the most granular data, then there’s probably multiple reasons why it’s a pick’em. If a game is that difficult to pick and too close to call, it’s probably wise to avoid it.

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Let’s take a look at the ten richest teams in the NBA according to the most recent individual valuations by Forbes.

1. Golden State Warriors – $7.7 billion

• Last Sale: $450 million in 2010
• Owners: Joe Lacob, Peter Guber

A lot of critics laughed when venture capitalist Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber paid $450 million for the Golden State Warriors in 2010. The Warriors had posted 14 losing seasons in the previous 16 years, but both astute businessmen had a keen eye for undervalued assets.

The Warriors quickly reversed their losing ways, and developed a winning culture that resulted in four NBA championships and six trips to the NBA Finals between 2015 and 2023.

Championships boost revenue across the board and in turn, the franchise’s value exponentially increases. The Warriors jumped from a valuation of $1.9 billion to $2.6 billion the year after Steph Curry led them to their first title in 2015.

At the start of the 2019-20 season, the Warriors found a new home at the Chase Center in downtown San Francisco after moving across the bay from Oakland.

Northern California is the hub for tech industry and the Bay Area is home to one of the largest concentrations of wealth on the planet. The Warriors are the hottest ticket in San Francisco, so it’s no surprise to see the Warriors at the top of the list of richest teams in the NBA. The Warriors became the first NBA team to be worth over $7 billion back in 2022. They’re currently worth $7.7 billion and their value is rising.

The Warriors banked $765 million in revenue during the 2022-23 season, and they didn’t even make it to the NBA Finals that year. Rakuten pays the Warriors approximately $20 million per season to have its logo placed on jerseys. Other corporate sponsors for the Warriors include Google, Oracle, Chase Bank, Verizon, and Ticketmaster.

By the end of next season, the Warriors expect their valuation will pass $8 billion. Meanwhile, the Warriors are racing against the Knicks and Lakers to become the first NBA team to be valued at $10 billion.

2. New York Knicks – $6.6 billion

• Last Sale: $300 million in 1997
• Owner: James Dolan (Madison Square Garden Sports)

The Knicks have not won a championship in over 50 years, and yet they’re the second richest team in basketball. That’s what happens when you play your home games at the world-famous Madison Square Garden in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.

The Knicks have a fervent fan base who supported the team during their most downtrodden times. Diehard fans remain loyal even though the Knicks have one of the most hated owners in all professional sports. James Dolan, the scion to the Cablevision fortune, inherited the Knicks after his father purchased the team in 1997 for $300 million.

For the last two decades, fans have been begging Dolan to sell the Knicks. Even their famous supporters, like Spike Lee and Ben Stiller, would love to have new ownership. Dolan has stated he would never sell the team. In 2020, the Knicks were valued at $5 billion. Dolan received multiple offers to sell the Knicks for well over $6 billion, and he rejected all suitors.

In just seven years, the Knicks doubled in value and they’re now worth $6.6 billion. A sale price today could fetch over $8 billion.

The Knicks have been on an upswing the last couple of seasons, and fans have not been this excited since the team’s heyday in the 1990s. If the Knicks somehow win a championship in the next few years, they have a chance to overtake the Warriors as the richest team in the NBA to become the first franchise worth over $10 billion.

The Knicks earned $504 million in revenue in the 2022-23, including a $16 million from a uniform sponsorship deal with Squarespace. During the most recent season, the Knicks had a jersey sponsorship with the Las Vegas Sphere. The Knicks also have a special corporate sponsorship with Wall Street titans J.P. Morgan Chase. Other corporate partners include Lexus, Delta Airlines, and multiple online sportsbooks.

3. Los Angeles Lakers – $6.4 billion

• Last Sale: $1.35 billion in 2021 for 27% stake
• Owners: Jeanie Buss (Buss Family Trust), Todd Boehly, Mark Walter

In 1979, Dr. Jerry Buss acquired the Los Angeles Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke for $20 million in a deal that involved cash and real estate. When Buss discovered he was a few million short, he threw in the Chrysler Building to make up for the deficit.

Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Lakers were tied with the Boston Celtics for most championships in NBA history with 17. The franchise won six titles before Buss bought the team but won 11 championships since 1979.

There’s never any shortage of celebrities in attendance whenever the Lakers play a home game in downtown L.A. Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood and the music industry are often found sitting courtside during games.

After Dr. Buss passed away, his daughter Jeanie Buss took over day-to-day operations of the Lakers. In 2021, She orchestrated a minority sale to Todd Boehly and Mark Walter for $1.35 billion which seems like a huge discount compared to what the franchise is worth today.

Bibigo, a global Korean food brand, paid the Lakers $27 million as their jersey sponsor last season. The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as the Staples Center. Other major corporate sponsors include Nike, American Express, and Toyota.

4. Boston Celtics – $4.7 billion

• Last Sale: $360 million in 2002
• Owners: Wyc Grousbeck and Stephen Pagliuca (Boston Basketball Partners)

Venture capitalists Wyc Grousbeck and Stephen Pagliuca formed Boston Basketball Partners and purchased the Celtics for $360 million in 2002. The team won its 17th championship in 2008, only six years after Grousbeck and Pagliuca bought the team.

Celtics recently won their 18th championship, which makes them the winningest franchise in NBA history. It’s one of the reasons why they’re valued at $4.7 billion and ranked #4 overall as the richest team in the NBA.

Vistaprint took over as jersey sponsor of the Celtics in 2020. The design and marketing company pays around $15 million per season. Other corporate sponsor include Gatorade, Dunkin’ Donuts, DraftKings, Comcast, and JetBlue Airlines.

5. Los Angeles Clippers – $4.65 billion

• Last Sale: $2 billion in 2014
• Owner: Steve Ballmer

The Clippers are the second team in Los Angeles behind the Lakers, and have been playing in their shadow since they relocated from San Diego in 1984. The franchise has never won a championship, and fans are convinced the team is cursed because of their lack of success in the postseason.

Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft, is the richest NBA owner in the league. According to Forbes, Ballmer is the seventh richest person in the world with a net worth of nearly $130 billion. Ballmer didn’t blink when he plopped down a cool $2 billion to buy the Clippers in 2014. Insiders thought he was crazy to overpay for a franchise in turmoil. Ballmer got the last laugh. In less than seven years, the Clippers doubled in value and they’re now in the Top 5 of the wealthiest teams in the NBA.

In 2018, the dating app Bumble inked a three-year jersey sponsorship deal worth $20 million. Their most recent deal with Honey expired at the end of this last season. The Clippers are discussing a new patch deal that could be worth over $20 million per season. Other corporate sponsors include Lexus, Verizon, JBL, and Anheuser-Busch beer.

6. Chicago Bulls – $4.6 billion

• Last Sale: $16.2 million in 1985
• Owner: Jerry Reinsdorf

Jerry Reinsdorf was a former IRS agent who started a company that used loopholes in the US tax laws to leverage a fortune in real estate. He purchased the Chicago White Sox baseball team in 19981 and added the Chicago Bulls to his portfolio in 1985. The Bulls drafted Michael Jordan (who is the all-time richest NBA player) the year before, but they’d have to wait until 1991 before they won their first of six championships.

The Bulls last won a title in 1998, but the franchise has been living off Jordan’s legacy for over 25 years. The franchise is now worth $4.6 billion and would easily fetch almost $6 billion if it were sold today.

Motorola, which is headquartered in Chicago, became the official smartphone of the Bulls in 2022. Motorola also inked a jersey sponsorship. Other corporate sponsors include American Express, AT&T, Lexus, and Coca-Cola.

7. Dallas Mavericks – $4.5 billion

• Last Sale: $3.5 billion in 2023 for 73% stake
• Owners: Adelson family, Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban is one of the original American “tech bros.” He sold his company, Broadcast.com, to Yahoo for $5.7 billion in 1999. He used some of the proceeds to purchase the Dallas Mavericks for $200 million in 2000, and became one of the youngest owners in pro sports.

The Mavericks won their first and only championship in 2011, but they advanced to the NBA Finals in 2006 and 2024.

Cuban recently sold a majority stake of the Mavs to the Adelson family, who amassed their fortune in the gambling industry with marquee casinos in Las Vegas and Macau. Cuban banked $3.5 billion on the sale, and he still owns more than a quarter of the team.

Chime, a financial technology company based in San Francisco, signed a jersey sponsorship deal in 2020 that was worth $10 million per season. Other corporate sponsors include American Airlines, Ford Motors, and Keurig Dr Pepper.

8. Houston Rockets – $4.4 billion

• Last Sale: $2.2 billion in 2017
• Owner: Tilman Fertitta

The Rockets won back-to-back NBA championships in the mid-1990s thanks to former #1 pick Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. Even though the Rockets have not won a title since 1995, they’re ranked #8 as one of the richest teams in the league with a valuation of $4.4 billion.

The Rockets doubled their valuation in less than seven years. When Tilman Fertitta purchased the team in 2017, he paid $2.2 billion. Fertitta is founder of Landry’s, a hospitality and entertainment company, that operates multiple restaurant brands and casinos including the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.

The Rockets have a jersey sponsorship deal with Credit Karma. Other corporate sponsors include Adidas, NRG Energy, Toyota, and Southwest Airlines.

9. Philadelphia 76ers – $4.3 billion

• Last Sale: $287 million in 2011
• Owners: Joshua Harris, David Blitzer (Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment)

The Philadelphia 76ers won their first championship in 1955 when they were known as the Syracuse Nationals. The team relocated to Philadelphia in 1963 and rebranded as the 76ers, which drew inspiration from the Declaration of Independence that was signed in Philadelphia by America’s Founding Fathers in 1776.

The 76ers won their second title, and first title in Philadelphia, in 1967 thanks to a squad led by Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham, and Lucious Jackson. The 76ers won their franchise’s third and last championship in 1983 thanks to Julius “Dr. J” Irving.

A pair of bankers who formed Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment purchased the 76ers in 2011 for $287 million. The 76ers are now worth $4.3 billion and a juicy $4 billion more than its last sale price. The 76ers have not won a championship in over 40 years, but they’re still among the wealthiest teams in the NBA and ranked #9 overall.

Th 76ers have a jersey sponsorship with Crypto.com. Other corporate sponsors include Coca-Colla, Comcast, BetMGM, PokerStars, and Ticketmaster.

10. Toronto Raptors – $4.1 billion

• Last Sale: $400 million in 2012
• Owner: Larry Tanenbaum (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment)

The Toronto Raptors joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1995. The Raptors are the only pro basketball team in Canada after the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis in 2001.

Larry Tanenbaum is the chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Raptors. They paid $400 million to purchase the Raptors in 2012. Contrary to many urban myths, the popular Canadian rapper Drake does not own the team. Drake is the Raptors’ most high-profile fan and often spotted sitting courtside.

The Raptors are now worth $4.1 billion, and currently occupy the tenth spot on the list of wealthiest teams in the NBA. Winning their first and only NBA championship in 2019 boosted their overall valuation.

Sun Life Financial signed a jersey sponsorship with the Raptors in 2017, and they agreed to extend their deal in 2023. Other corporate sponsors include Air Canada, McDonalds, Google, Mastercard. and Scotia Bank.

Overall Value Of The NBA

Business is booming in the NBA. The league earned $13 billion during the 2023-24 season, which is an increase of 11% from the previous season.

Sponsorship revenue reached a historic high in 2023 with over $1.6 billion mostly derived from arena sponsorship rights fees and jersey sponsorships. A total of 868 companies inked a sponsorship deal with at least one NBA team. Coca-Cola, Toyota, and Verizon had deals with no less than 20 different teams.

The average franchise in the NBA is now worth $3.85 billion, according to Forbes Magazine, thanks to a new TV rights deal. The average valuation is up 35% from last season, and up over 75% since 2019.

The Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets were both sold in 2023, which directly contributed to the current surge in valuation across the league. In February 2023, Mat Ishbia purchased the Suns for $4 billion. In August 2023, Michael Jordan sold the Hornets to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall for $3 billion.

The partial sale of the Dallas Mavericks was also a factor. In November 2023, Mark Cuban sold a majority share of the Mavs to the Adelson family for $3.5 billion, and he still retains 27% of the team.

For more articles on the NBA, check out:

• Biggest hands in the NBA
• The smallest players in the NBA
• The players with the most NBA rings
• Odds of making it in the NBA

Let’s compare and contrast the WNBA and NBA.

1. NBA vs WNBA Salary

The wage gap between men and women in professional basketball is staggering.

The salary cap in the NBA was $135 million per team for the 2023-24 season, and the average salary was over $10 million. The veteran minimum was $1.86 million in the 2023-24 season, and the rookie minimum was $1.1 million.

In contrast, the WNBA salary cap was set at $1.46 million for the 2023 season, and the average salary is $116,580. The WNBA minimum salary was $64,154, which includes both rookies and veterans with less than three years of service. Veterans entering their third season will earn a minimum salary of $76,535.

Steph Curry from the Golden State Warriors is the NBA’s highest-paid player at $51.9 million per season. At least 10 players are paid more than $45 million per season including LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Jackie Young from the Las Vegas Aces is the highest-paid player in the WNBA with a salary of $252,450. Only four women have an annual salary over $241,000, and 21 players earn at least $200,000.

Caitlin Clark, the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, will only earn $76,535 during her rookie season, even though the Indiana Fever selected her as #1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Over in the NBA, Victor Wembanyama was the #1 pick in the NBA Draft, and he earned $12.16 million during his rookie season.

2. WNBA 3-Point Line vs NBA 3-Point Line

In the NBA, the 3-point line is only 22 feet from the basket in the corners and 23.75 feet at the top of the key. The WNBA 3-point line is closer. The corners are 21.75 feet from the basket and 22 feet at the top of the key.

3. WNBA Ball vs NBA Ball

The NBA uses a size 7 ball, while the WNBA uses a size 6 ball.

A regulation basketball in the WNBA is 28.5 inches in diameter and weighs 20 ounces. The balls in the WNBA are white and orange.

The NBA uses a basketball that is 29.5 inches and weighs 22 ounces. It is one inch bigger and two ounces heavier than the WNBA ball. Additionally, balls are either brown or dark orange, but uniformly one color.

4. NBA vs WNBA Revenue

The WNBA generated $200 million in the 2023 season, whereas the NBA generated $10.58 billion.

Revenue in the NBA and WBNA is generated through television rights, merchandising, sponsorships, and ticket sales. The WNBA is bolstered by a $15 million annual endowment by the NBA, which mostly gets allocated to operating and travel costs.

In the NBA, the owners and players equally split the broadcasting rights which is worth around $2.7 billion a year during the tail end of their current TV deal.

The WNBA earned approximately $60 million this season for its TV and broadcasting deal, which includes live streaming. But, WNBA players only earn 10% of the league’s total revenue vs NBA players’ 50%.

The size of the leagues is important. The NBA has 30 teams, while the WNBA has only 12 teams. Though the WNBA will expand to 14 teams by 2026 with the addition of teams in San Francisco and Toronto (which will mark the first time a franchise from Canada joins the WNBA).

The schedule is also a mitigating factor in determining revenue, because the WNBA plays only 40 games per year, while the NBA’s schedule is 82 games.

Plus, there’s a disparity in ticket price. The average ticket price in the NBA was approximately $94 this past season, while the average ticket price in the WNBA was $47.

However, prices are expected to jump during Caitlin Clark’s rookie season. The Indiana Fever sold out all of their home games this season, and Clark’s popularity means she’s a huge draw on the road, too. So much so that opposing teams are also expected to sell out their home games when the Fever comes to town.

The average ticket price for away games is $108 this season for the Fever, which is a huge jump from $43 per road game last season.

5. WNBA Court vs NBA Court

The WNBA and NBA play on the same sized court. The court is 50 feet wide and 94 feet long, or 15.24 meters by 28.65 meters.

6. WNBA Viewership vs NBA Viewership

The 2023 WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty was the highest-rated championship series in over 16 years. It attracted 728,00 viewers per game, which was an uptick of over 36% from the previous postseason. The 2023 WNBA regular season posted their best numbers in over 21 years, which was an uptick of 5% from the previous season.

The 2023 WNBA Draft was the most watched draft in over 20 years, but the 2024 WNBA Draft obliterated those ratings. It attracted 2.4 million viewers, which is a ratings increase of 307%.

With the addition of incoming rookies Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink, the WNBA expects to smash last year’s ratings and attendance records.

The NBA attracted 1.2 million viewers per game during the 2023-34 regular season. The quadruple-header on Christmas attracted as many as five million viewers.

The 2023 NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat attracted 11.64 million viewers, which set the best mark in five years.

7. WNBA Attendance vs NBA Attendance

The WNBA expanded their season to 40 games in 2023. As a result, the league posted their highest attendance in 13 years with 1,587,488 tickets sold. The average attendance was 6,615 in 2023, which was up by 16%. The defending-champion Aces led the WNBA in attendance with 9,551 fans per game.

The NBA set a record for attendance in the 2023-24 season with 22,538,518 total tickets sold. The previous season had set a new mark at 22.2 million. The NBA posted an average attendance of 18,324 in 2023-24.

The Chicago Bulls led the NBA in attendance this past season with 845,620 total tickets sold or an average attendance of 20,527 fans per game. Along with the Bulls, at least six other teams attracted 800,000 fans in 2023-24 including the Dallas Mavericks (929K), Philadelphia 76ers (821K), Miami Heat (809K), New York Knicks (808K), Denver Nuggets (807K), and the Toronto Raptors (800K).

This disparity isn’t too surprising when you look at recorded public interest. In 2023, 50% of those surveyed had an interest in the NBA, vs around 30% for the WNBA.

8. WNBA Hoop Height vs NBA Hoop Height

The WNBA and NBA use the same hoop that is ten feet off the ground. Rims are 18 inches in diameter, and the backboards are the same.

9. Best WNBA Player vs Worst NBA player

A’ja Wilson, the former #1 pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, led the Las Vegas Aces to back-to-back championships. She won the 2023 WNBA Finals MVP with a dominating performance by averaging 23.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. She also won two WNBA MVP awards in 2020 and 2022.

Wilson is listed as a 6-foot-4 power forward and arguably the best player in the WNBA the last few seasons. Wilson posted career-highs in 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 1.4 stealers per game last season but narrowly missed out on winning a third MVP.

So, who is the worst player in the NBA? That’s a great question and it depends on the metrics. Is it a player with the lowest scoring average who appeared in a lot of games? Or is it the last guy at the end of the bench on the worst team in the league?

Dalen Terry, a forward with the Chicago Bulls, could be considered the worst regular rotation player in the NBA last season. Terry finished his second season with the Bulls and appeared in 59 games with two starts. He averaged 3.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 43.9% from the floor and 58.1% from the free-throw line.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA last season with a 14-68 record. Buddy Boeheim was buried deep on their bench and only saw action in blowouts.

If the last name sounds familiar, it’s because Buddy is the son of Hall of Fame college coach Jim Boeheim. He played for his father at Syracuse where he was a star shooting guard.

During the last two seasons, Boeheim bounced back and forth between the Pistons and their NBA G-League team called the Motor City Cruise. He appeared in 10 games this season, mostly during garbage time, and he averaged 3.4 points in 8.4 minutes of action per game.

Could Wilson beat Boeheim in a one-on-one game? It’s close and would certainly be a great battle.

10. Best WNBA Team vs Worst NBA Team

The Las Vegas Aces have been the best team in the WNBA over the last two seasons. They won two WNBA championships in a row and they’re the betting favorite to win three-straight titles.

The Aces were tied for the best record in the WNBA at 26-10 in 2022. They went 34-6 last season, which was the best record in the league and set a WNBA record for most wins in a single season.

For the last two seasons, the Detroit Pistons were the worst team in the NBA. They went 17-65 in 2022-23 and finished with an even worst record in 2023-24 at 14-68.

The Pistons were so awful this season that they tied an NBA record with the worst losing streak in history. They dropped 28 games in a row at the start of the season before they finally snapped their skid the day before New Year’s Eve.

As bad as the Pistons have been the last two seasons, they have the potential to defeat the Aces in a game. The Pistons have too much size and some of their guards are taller than the WNBA Aces’ tallest players on their frontline.

11. NBA Dunks vs WNBA Dunks

Dunks are rare in the WNBA. Only eight women in the history of the league ever dunked during a game. Lisa Leslie made the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. Candace Parker recently retired, so Brittney Griner and Jonquel Jones are the only two active players who have dunked in a game.

While not every NBA player has recorded a dunk, some of the shortest players in history were known for their leaping ability. Spud Webb from the Atlanta Hawks was only 5-foot-7, but he once won the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Muggsy Bogues, the shortest player in NBA history at 5-foot-3, never dunked in a game in the pros or college. He had a 44-inch vertical leap and dunked multiple times during high school games, according to local lore in Baltimore.

12. NBA Parade vs WNBA Parade

Championship parades in the WNBA tend to be low-key affairs compared to their NBA counterparts. That does not mean that the WNBA has not had their share of rowdy victory parades.

When the Las Vegas Aces won their first WNBA championship, Sin City went all out to celebrate their first-ever major sports championship. Their second parade was even more raucous than their first. The defending two-time champs rode down the Las Vegas Strip in style.

When LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavs to a championship in 2016, the victory marked the city’s first major sports championship. A record number of fans showed up with over 1.3 million people in attendance to celebrate the Cavs’ NBA championship.

13. NBA Rules vs WNBA Rules

• The WNBA plays four 10-minute quarters for 40 total minutes of game time. The NBA also plays four quarters, but each period is 12 minutes for 48 minutes of game time.
• The dimensions of the court are the same including the free-throw line, but the 3-point line is closer for the WNBA. The basketball ball is smaller in the WNBA, but the hoop and rim are the same as in the NBA.
• The WNBA has a 30-second shot clock, while the NBA utilizes a 24-second shot clock.
• The WNBA limits their roster to 12 women. The NBA allows teams to carry 15 players on their roster plus an additional two players on 10-day contracts from their G-League developmental team.
• To enter the WNBA Draft, women must be graduating college seniors or at least 22-years old in the year that the draft takes place. The NBA has an age requirement of 19-years-old and must have one year removed from their graduating high school class. That gap year can be spent in college or overseas.

14. WNBA vs NBA Free Throw Percentage

For the last decade, the WNBA averaged better than 79% from the free-throw line. The WNBA set a career-high with an 80.8% success rate at the charity stripe in 2021. In 2023, the league finished at exactly 80%.

In the NBA, the league is experiencing their best decade at the free-throw line. The NBA averages 77.8% from the charity stripe over the last few seasons. The league finished with a 78.4% success rate this past season, which set a record for highest percentage in history.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 15 highest-paid players in the WNBA, along with their achievements, as well as the overall richest WNBA players (spoiler alert: it’s Sue Bird).

1. Jackie Young – $252,450

Young won an NCAA women’s championship with Notre Dame before she joined the Las Vegas Aces as the #1 pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft. She made the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2019, and earned the WNBA Most Improved Player in 2022 while shooting 43% from 3-point range.

Young signed a two-year contract extension with the Aces worth $504,900, which makes her the current highest-paid WNBA player.

2. Jewell Loyd – $245,508

The Seattle Storm selected Loyd with the #1 pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft, and she has stuck with them ever since.

Loyd won the 2015 WNBA Rookie of the Year, and led the WNBA in scoring in 2023 by averaging a career-high 24.7 points. Loyd also won two WNBA championships with the Storm in 2018 and 2020.

She signed a two-year contract extension worth $491,016, which makes her the second-highest paid player in the WNBA in 2024.

3. Kahleah Copper – $245,059

After a sensational career at Rutgers University as a wing player, the Washington Mystics selected Copper with the seventh-overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft.

After one season with the Mystics, the Chicago Sky acquired Copper in a trade. Then, after four seasons as a bench player, Copper earned a starting role in 2020 and made the most of her promotion by making her first WNBA All-Star Team. Copper led the Sky to the franchise’s first WNBA championship in 2021 and won the WNBA Finals MVP.

Copper has since been traded to the Phoenix Mercury, signing a two-year contract worth $490,118. She’s the third-highest paid player in the WNBA, which is impressive considering she was not a Top 5 draft pick coming out of college.

4. Arike Ogunbowale – $241,984

Ogunbowale, a three-time WNBA All-Star point guard with the Dallas Wings, led the WNBA in scoring in 2020 by averaging 22.8 points per game. She has since inked a three-year contract extension worth $725,952.

During her storied career at Notre Dame, Ogunbowale led the Fighting Irish to a 2018 NCAA women’s championship. She was named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2018 Women’s March Madness and hit the game-winning shot in the championship game.

Ogunbowale also played several seasons overseas in Turkey and Russia.

5. Diana Taurasi – $234,936

The Phoenix Mercury selected shooting guard Diana Taurasi with the #1 pick back in the 2004 WNBA Draft, and she’s stayed with them ever since. Taurasi’s magical run with the Mercury includes three WNBA championships, and was named to 10 WNBA All-Star teams.

No one has scored more points than Taurasi. She leads the WNBA with 10,108 career points in 529 games. In 2006, Taurasi set the league record by averaging 25.3 points per game that season.

Taurasi is in the final season of a two-year contract extension with the Mercury worth $469,872, but has made no indication that she will retire any time soon.

6. Natasha Howard – $224,675

Natasha Howard was a star forward with Florida State before the Indiana Fever selected her with the fifth pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft. Howard played for five different teams during her first ten years in the league, and she’s currently on the Dallas Wings.

She has won three championships, including one with the Minnesota Lynx in 2017, and two with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and 2020.

The versatile Howard is best known for her defense and ability to guard almost every position. In fact, she won the 2019 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2021, Howard signed a four-year contract worth $898,700. She’s in the final season of her contract and will become a free agent after this season.

7. Erica Wheeler – $222,154

Erica Wheeler was an undrafted point guard from Rutgers, but never gave up on her dream to play in the WNBA. Despite limited action with the New York Liberty and getting cut by the Atlanta Dream, she joined the Indiana Fever in 2017 and earned a starting role.

In 2019, she was named to the All-Star team and became the first undrafted player in WNBA history to win the MVP of the All-Star game.

After one-year stints with the Dream and Los Angeles Sparks, Wheeler returned to the Fever in 2023. She is in the final season of a two-year contract worth $444,308.

8. Brionna Jones – $212,000

Brionna Jones played collegiate ball in Maryland before the Connecticut Sun selected the center as the eighth overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft.

After languishing on the bench for three seasons, Jones got her chance to start in 2020. In 2021, she was named the WNBA Most Improved Player. As the consummate team player, Jones didn’t skip a beat when the coaching staff asked her to come off the bench in the 2022 season.

For her excellence as the top reserve in the league, Jones was named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year.

Jones signed a one-year extension with the Sun worth $212,000, which makes her the highest-paid center in the WNBA.

9. Skylar Diggins-Smith – $211,343

The Tulsa Shock selected point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith as the third-overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft. She won the 2014 Most Improved Player shortly after and made her first of six All-Star teams.

After three seasons in Tulsa, the franchise relocated to Dallas. She spent six more seasons in Dallas, before sitting out the 2019 season after giving birth to her first child.

She then spent three seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, and has now signed a two-year contract with the Seatle Storm worth $422,685.

10. Alyssa Thomas – $209,000

As a star forward with the Maryland Terrapins in college, Alyssa Thomas finished her career as the school’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, and triple-doubles. The New York Liberty selected Thomas with the fourth-overall pick in 2014, but she was traded to the Connecticut Sun on draft day.

Despite serious injuries to both shoulders, Thomas averaged a career-best 15.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game for the Sun in the 2023 season. As a defensive star, Thomas led the league in steals in 2020 and rebounds in 2023. She has earned four trips to the WNBA All-Star game, too.

Thomas signed a four-year contract extension with the Suns in 2021 worth $836,000.

11. Marina Mabrey – $206,667

The Los Angeles Sparks selected Marina Mabrey with a second-round pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

After finally earning a starting role with the Dallas Wings in 2022, Mabrey inked a three-year deal with the Chicago Sky worth $620,000.

In her first season with Chicago Sky, Mabry averaged a career-high 15.0 points per game.

Mabrey has also logged a lot of international air miles while playing overseas in Italy, Australia, Israel, and Latvia.

12. Kayla McBride – $206,500

The San Antonio Stars selected shooting guard Kayla McBride with the third-overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft out of Notre Dame. She spent four seasons with the Stars before the team relocated to Las Vegas and was rebranded as the Aces.

After three years with the Aces, she joined the Minnesota Lynx. In 2024, McBride signed a two-year contract extension with the Lynx worth $413,000.

McBride also made three WNBA All-Star teams., is a three-time Europe League champion, and played overseas in Hungary, Russia, and Turkey

13. Kelsey Mitchell – $206,000

Indiana Fever selected Kelsey Mitchell with the #2 pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft after a sensational career at Ohio State, where she was an All-American point guard and a three-time Big Ten Player of the Year.

In 2022, Mitchell inked a three-year contract extension with the Fever worth $618,000.

Mitchell earned her first trip to the All-Star team in the 2023 season, and has played overseas in Egypt and Israel as well.

14. Sabrina Ionescu – $205,030

After a dominating college career with the Oregon Ducks, the New York Liberty selected Sabrina Ionescu as the #1 pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft.

Ionescu was named to two All-Star teams, and won the WNBA Three-Point Shootout at the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game.

In 2023, Ionescu signed a two-year extension with the Liberty worth $410,060.

Ionescu is the only NCAA player with at least 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in her career. She logged 26 triple-doubles at Oregon and is the NCAA career triple-doubles leader.

15. Breanna Stewart – $205,000

Power forward Breanna Stewart, the former #1 pick from the 2016 WNBA Draft, is a five-time All Star and two-time champion with the Seattle Storm. She also won the WNBA Finals MVP twice and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2016.

Stewart joined the New York Liberty in free agency in 2023, and decided to stay in the Big Apple for at least one more season. She signed a one-year extension with the Liberty, which was worth $205,000.

Stewart has earned $943,450 during her career as a WNBA player in less than a decade.

Who Are The Richest WNBA Players?

The players with the highest WNBA salaries are not necessarily the richest ovreall.

The wealthiest players in the WNBA were able to become rich through a combination of their league salary, overseas compensation from international pro teams, endorsements, and personal investments or side businesses.

Sue Bird has retired, but is the richest WNBA player in history with a net worth of over $10 million.

Although even she doesn’t come close to the richest NBA players!

1. Sue Bird – $10 Million

After spending two decades in the WNBA as a 13-time All Star, Sue Bird earned between $1.8 million and $2.4 million as a professional basketball player. The exact amount is unknown because of her unreported earnings while playing in Russia for almost a decade for Dynamo Moscow, Spartak Moscow Region, and UMMC Ekaterinburg.

Bird’s estimated net worth stems from her endorsement deals with big-time companies such as Nike, State Farm, American Express, Corona, CarMax, and Symetra.

Bird even acquired a piece of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise in New York City known as NJ/NY Gotham FC.

2. Candace Parker – $8.1 Million

Parker retired after a stellar in which she won three WNBA championships and was named to seven All-Star teams.

During her 15 seasons in the WNBA, Parker banked over $1 million, though she was rumored to have earned more than that playing overseas in China, Russia, and Turkey.

During her rookie season in the WNBA, she signed endorsement deals with Adidas and Gatorade. She was also a pitchwoman for Google, Invesco, Modern Fertility, Nissan, Subway, CarMax, and 2K Sports. Parker became the first woman to be featured on the cover of the NBA 2K video game.

Since 2018, Parker has been an analyst and TV commentator for the NBA and college basketball. As an avid soccer fan, Parker also joined the ownership group for NWSL’s Angel City FC in Los Angeles. As a result, Parker is among the richest WNBA players, worth over $8.1 million according to Forbes.

3. Brittney Griner – $5 Million

Center Brittney Griner from the Phoenix Mercury is currently ranked third on our list of the richest WNBA players. She also makes it to number four on our list of the tallest WNBA players.

Griner has earned over $1 million in WNBA career earnings as a pro, and close to $1 million per year playing in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg. This was before her profile took a hit after she was arrested by Russian authorities at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow for possessing cannabis vaporizers. She was eventually released from jail via a prisoner swap that made international headlines.

Griner returned to the WNBA in 2023, where she earned $165,100. Her 2024 contract is for $150,000.

In 2013, Griner made headlines as the first openly gay player to endorse Nike when she signed an endorsement deal worth over $1 million. During her career she also endorsed Beats by Dre and Boost Mobile.

4. Diana Taurasi – $3.5 Million

As you’ve seen, Taurasi is currently the player with the fifth highest salary in the WNBA.

Despite being the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, Taurasi has “only” earned $1.1 million during her career. It’s been rumored that she banked over $1 million playing in Russia however, but the details of her international contract have been hush-hush.

If her health holds up, Taurasi will try to play several more seasons, but her overall net worth is expected to rise in retirement as a popular pitchwoman for national brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, and State Farm Insurance. She earned approximately $1.35 million to endorse BodyArmor.

5. Breanna Stewart – $3 Million

Stewart earned over $943,450 in salary as a WNBA player. She inked her first shoe deal with Nike in 2016. Then, in 2021, she signed with Puma. In 2022, Puma released the first female signature sneaker called the Stewie 1 Quiet Fire.

FAQs About WNBA Player Salaries

How much do WNBA players make?

In 2023, the average WNBA salary was $147,745. In 2023, the NBA’s average salary was $10 million with a league minimum of $1.12 million per season.

It’s important to note that the NBA plays more than twice as many games as the WNBA, and that players salaries are based upon the league’s broadcast and TV rights deal, that is worth billions.

Many WNBA players often supplement their income by playing overseas. This is a huge injury risk and complete culture shock, but many pros have no choice but to play for international clubs in the offseason to earn a living. Women with lucrative endorsement deals have the luxury of resting in the offseason.

Read our article for more differences between the WNBA and NBA.

What is the starting salary in the WNBA?

Rookies in all professional leagues tend to make low wages, but the starting salary in the WNBA is embarrassing low, especially for some of the top collegiate stars entering the league.

The top four picks from the 2024 WNBA Draft (Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamila Cardoso, and Rickea Jackson) will earn $76,535 this season. The lowest-drafted rookies will earn $64,154.

Caitlin Clark is the all-time women’s leading scorer in NCAA history, and selected by Indiana Fever as the #1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Despite her accolades, Clark inked a four-year contract with the Fever worth only $338,056.

In many ways, Clarke took a pay cut to fulfil her lifelong goal of playing in the WNBA. But due to her high profile, she will continue to make the bulk of her income in advertisements.

Who is the highest paid WNBA player?

The WNBA player with the highest annual salary is currently Jackie Young, earning $252,450.

What is Kelsey Plum’s salary?

Kelsey Plum’s salary is currently $200,000 playing for the Las Vegas Aces. The team has won consecutive WNBA championships, and boasts the highest-paid player in the league with Jackie Young.

What is A’ja Wilson’s salary?

Center A’ja Wilson from the Las Vegas Aces won the WNBA Finals MVP in 2023, but will only earn $200,000 in the 2024 season, after signing a two-year extension worth $400,000.

And yes, she was named after a Steely Dan song titled “Aja.” Her parents were big fans of the band and loved the name.

However, round robin bets are considered suboptimal wagers with high variance. It’s paramount you know what you’re doing and always exhibit proper bankroll management.

This article covers:

• What is a round robin bet?
• How does a round robin bet work?
• How to win a round robin bet
• How to make a round robin bet
• Round robin betting strategy
• Are round robins good bets?

What Is A Round Robin Bet?

First, it’s important to understand what a parlay bet is. A parlay bet is a bet that combines two or more individual wagers into one. To win any money, each of the individual wagers must win.

A round robin bet is a combination of multiple parlays. A bettor essentially turns a parlay into a series of smaller parlays in a round robin, so you bet each possible combination individually.

What’s the benefit here? Well, how many times did only one team wreck your parlay? A round robin gives you a chance to win a smaller parlay with the other teams you originally picked.

When you place a wager on a three-team parlay, then your parlay is toast if Team A is a loser.

If you place a round robin bet using the same teams from your three-team parlay, then the leg with Team B and Team C will be a winner, even though Team A lost.

How Does A Round Robin Bet Work?

Round Robin Bet Example 1:

Let’s say you like three teams and want to put them in a parlay. Your parlay would look like this: TEAM A + TEAM B + TEAM C. You are betting that all three teams will win.

A three-team round robin bet creates three different two-team parlays (also known as a “2 Pick”) from the three teams you chose. Your 2 Pick round robin would look like this:

1. TEAM A + TEAM B
2. TEAM A + TEAM C
3. TEAM B + TEAM C

So, a $10 round robin wager for a three-team parlay will cost you $40. That price includes $10 for the initial parlay, plus an additional $10 per combination for the 2 Pick ($10 x 3 combinations = $30).

If Team A is a loser, but Team B and Team C both win, then you can still cash the third parlay with Team B + Team C.

Round Robin Bet Example 2:

Let’s take a look at what a four-team parlay looks like in a round robin format: TEAM A + TEAM B + TEAM C + TEAM D.

For your four-team round robin, you have the option of betting a “2 Pick” (a bet on every possible combination of two teams from the group of teams you have selected) or “3 Pick” (a bet on every possible combination of three teams).

If you select Pick 2, then you will make six two-way parlays. A 4-team round robin parlay with a Pick 2 will look like this:

1. TEAM A + TEAM B
2. TEAM A + TEAM C
3. TEAM A + TEAM D
4. TEAM B + TEAM C
5. TEAM B + TEAM D
6. TEAM C + TEAM D

If you select a Pick 3, then you will make four three-way parlays. A 4-team round robin parlay with a Pick 3 will look like this:

1. TEAM A + TEAM B + TEAM C
2. TEAM A + TEAM B + TEAM D
3. TEAM A + TEAM C + TEAM D
4. TEAM B + TEAM C + TEAM D

A round robin bettor also has the option to wager on all combinations. In the above example, this would equal 11 total bets. The 11 bets would be comprised of the initial four-team parlay plus the six Pick 2 parlays and four Pick 3 parlays.

For a $10 round robin, the total investment is $110 (11 bets at $10 each). If one of your four teams loses, you would still win four out of 10 round robin bets.

As the number of teams in your parlays and round robins increase, both the potential reward and the risk go up. A seven-team parlay will give you the option for a round robin with various combinations from a Pick 2, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, or Pick 6.

Just a reminder, it takes a stout bankroll to afford a proper seven-team parlay round robin.

How Do You Win A Round Robin Bet?

A perfect round robin is when all the teams in your initial parlay win. When that happens, all of your round robin bets will cash.

If one of your teams from your three-team parlay losses, then your overall parlay will lose, but you can still win one of your three round robin bets. If Team A loses, then the round robin parlay with Team B and Team C will cash.

If one team from your four-team parlay loses, you will still win three out of six of your round robin Pick 2 bets. If you made a round robin Pick 3, then you will win one out of your four bets. If you bet all possible combinations, then you will cash four out of 10 round robin bets.

How To Make A Round Robin Bet

In most sportsbook apps, a round robin feature will appear if you generate a parlay with three or more teams.

At the bottom of the screen, or at the bottom your betting slip, you will see a round robin dropdown option.

Depending how many teams are in your initial parlay, you will have the chance to generate round robin bets in a preferred combination.

• A three-team parlay will give you an option for a 2 Pick round robin.
• A four-team parlay will give you an option for a 2 Pick or 3 Pick round robin.
• A five-team parlay will give you an option for a 2 Pick, 3 Pick, or 4 Pick round robin.

The more teams you have in your parlay, the more combinations you have to choose from.

Round Robin Betting Strategy

Parlays are risky by nature, and not considered smart bets over the long term. The same goes for round robin wagers.

That said, you can use a round robin bet to minimize your total losses. You will win something in return if all but one of your teams from your parlay loses.

If you like a lot of underdogs on a particular day, then consider a round robin as part of your overall strategy to bet combinations of underdogs in a money line parlay.

Make sure your round robin bets pay out at least +130 odds, which is considered the break-even point. If you’re betting several favorites, then the payouts will be lower than +130 odds, so avoid that potential round robin.

The most effective round robin is to pinpoint four underdogs in a 3 Pick round robin, so long as the odds are +130 or longer.

Obviously, if your parlay offers significantly long odds or contains a lot of teams, then your payout will be higher.

In the full coverage strategy, a bettor will generate a round robin with all possible combinations.

In a limited coverage strategy, a bettor will generate a round robin with a specific number of combinations. For a four-team parlay, this could entail just betting a 3 Pick combo and not a 2 Pick.

Round Robins are not limited to a specific sport. You can wager on multiple sports like a four-team parlay and subsequent round robin that includes teams from the NBA, NHL, and MLB.

Are Round Robins Good Bets?

Parlays are not the sharpest wagers because that’s how casinos and sportsbooks mint money (by offering odds that are less than what the actual math dictates).

Unsavvy bettors love parlays because the perceived high payout is very tempting, and you can win a lot on a small investment. Professional bettors view parlays as sucker bets because many amateur bettors do not know what they’re doing.

Round robin wagers are suboptimal bets over the long run, because you’re betting a series of parlays. They can be expensive to make, especially if you wager on all possible combinations. Their profit margin is much lower compared to a single bet or traditional parlay.

Moderation is the key to long-term happiness and survival in the gambling world, especially with sports betting. If you want to fire away at a round robin, make sure you know how to gamble responsibly. And good luck!

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Sportsbooks now offer an octopus prop bet in games. This could be a general “yes or no” prop bet on any octopus scored in a game, or an individual prop bet on whether a specific player will tally an octopus in a game.

How Common Is An Octopus In Football?

An octopus has occurred 188 times since the NFL implemented the two-point conversion in 1994, or approximately 6.2 times per season. An octopus is expected to occur approximately 2.25% of the time.

• During the first year of the rule change in 1994, coaches embraced the two-point conversion and an octopus was recorded 13 times in the initial season.
• In 1995, the novelty wore off and only 5 octopi were recorded.
• Since 1994, there has been at least 1 octopus scored in every season.
• In 2001, only 1 octopus was recorded. Qadry Ismail, a wide receiver from the Baltimore Ravens, tallied the lone octopus during Week 6 of the 2001 season.
• Between 1994 and 2014, an octopus occurred 5 times per season. Extra points were nearly automatic with a 99.3% success rate by kickers prior to 2015.
• Then, in 2015, the NFL moved back the spot of an extra point kick by 13 yards, which was previously at the two-yard line. With a longer extra point, the success rate dipped to 94.2%, which altered the strategy for two-point conversions. If a team missed an extra point earlier in the game, the head coach opted for a two-point conversion later in the game. As a result, the frequency of an octopus jumped to 88 instances since 2015, or 9.7 octopi per season.
• In 2018, the NFL set a record when an octopus occurred 15 times in the same season.
• In the 2023 NFL season, an octopus was recorded 11 times.

How To Make An Octopus Bet

Sportsbooks adopted the universal odds for an octopus bet as follows:

• Yes for any player to score an octopus +1400
• No for no players to score an octopus -2500

For this prop bet, a $100 wager on any octopus paid out $1400. A prop bet for an unsuccessful octopus was set as a huge favorite at -2500 odds, which meant a bettor had to lay $2500 for a chance to win $100.

If there is significant action wagered on an octopus, a sportsbook will adjust the odds, which tends to occur in the Super Bowl.

An octopus bet could be found in the prop bets section for an individual game. Depending on the sportsbook, they will list a general yes/no prop bet: “Will any player score an octopus?”

Some NFL sportsbooks might offer an individual player prop bet, listing a specific player to score an octopus. Depending on the sportsbook, you might have to click on a specific player’s name to find out if they’re offering any action on an octopus.

Expert Tips For Octopus Bets

As mentioned, a two-point conversion begins with the ball on the two-yard line, and a team is awarded two points if they can cross the goal line. Most defenses set up their goal-line defense to stop a short yardage play like a running play. Offensive coordinators often call passing plays to deceive the defense.

Out of 188 octopi, a player scored a two-point conversion with a reception 121 times and only rushed 61 times. Wide receivers tend to score an octopus with more frequency over running backs.

Octopus bettors seek out lopsided matchups with a team’s best wide receiver against an opponent’s subpar secondary, or superior running back against an opponent with a porous run defense.

Versatile running backs can score on a run or pass. The current NFL is a pass-happy league, so it’s not a surprise to see running backs utilized more as a pass catcher in modern offenses.

If you’re looking to make an octopus wager, keep a close eye on running backs who are an integral component to their team’s passing attack. In the 2023 season, Breece Hall from the New York Jets led the NFL with 76 receptions, followed by Alvin Kamara (75) and Christian McCaffrey (67).

Seven different quarterbacks scored an octopus with a rushing touchdown followed by a two-point conversion. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the only quarterback to do it twice.

Super Bowl Octopus Bets

Caesars Palace in Las Vegas became the first sportsbook to offer an octopus as a prop bet during Super Bowl LIV.

Since the adoption of the octopus terminology in 2019, Jalen Hurts is the only player in Super Bowl history to have recorded an octopus.

Hurts’ octopus occurred during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LVII. The Eagles trailed the Kansas City Chiefs by eight points. Hurts scored a two-yard rushing touchdown when the Eagles ran the Tush Push. On the ensuing two-point conversion, Hurts scampered into the end zone to tie the game which marked the first octopus in Super Bowl history.

Taylor Swift’s Impact On Super Bowl Octopus Bets

Pop star Taylor Swift began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at the start of the 2023 NFL season. The initial rumors caused quite a stir on social media when Swift appeared at her first game in September to watch her new beau in person.

Swifties, Swift’s legion of fervent supporters, became instant fans of Kelce and the Chiefs. Fathers were faced with an unusual phenomenon when their daughters showed a sudden interest in football. As the season progressed, more women became interested in the NFL.

During the regular season, Kelce saw an uptick in prop bets across the board including touchdowns. His spike in popularity carried over into the postseason and oddsmakers adjusted their odds to incorporate the Taylor Swift Effect for Super Bowl LVIII.

Kelce scored five two-point conversions during his career, but he had never scored an octopus. Despite those stats, Kelce was a popular pick to score an octopus in Super Bowl LVIII at +3000 odds. Although I’m not a Swifite, I jumped on the Kelce bandwagon with an octopus bet.

After Hurts tallied the first octopus in the previous Super Bowl, an octopus prop bet was more popular than ever entering Super Bowl LVIII, which affected the odds. A successful octopus prop bet at DraftKings would’ve paid out +1100 odds, and an unsuccessful octopus was an overwhelming favorite at -6000 odds.

The Chiefs edged out the 49ers, 25-22 in overtime, to win back-to-back championship. Kelce caught nine passes for 93 yards, but did not score a touchdown, so he was ineligible for any octopus prop bets. As expected, there was not an octopus scored in Super Bowl LVIII.

Who Has The Most Octopi In Football?

Running back Todd Gurley holds the all-time NFL record with four octopi, which he recorded as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.

Gurley was the first player to record an octopus twice in the same game. In Week 2 of the 2018 season, the Rams lost their kicker to an injury at the start of a game. Without a kicker, the Rams were forced to utilize the two-point conversion after a touchdown and Gurley happily obliged.

Gurley scored three octopi in the 2018 season to tie Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss for the NFL record. Gurley broke the record in 2019 with his fourth octopus.

Why Do They Call It An Octopus In Football?

The octopus was coined by sportswriter Mitch Goldich in March 2019. He mentioned an octopus in one of his columns for Sports Illustrated to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the NFL’s adoption of a two-point conversion. The catchy moniker stuck, and the octopus is now a part of the NFL lexicon.

The origins occurred a year earlier in October 2018. Wide receiver Torrey Smith from the Carolina Panthers caught a touchdown pass from Cam Newton, then added a successful two-point conversion on another pass from Newton. Smith tallied eight points, which caught the eye of Goldich.

Goldich asked his followers on social media, “There should be a cool name for what Torrey Smith just did: Scoring a TD and then also scoring the 2-point conversion right afterward. What should we call this?”

Goldich’s friend Mike Wallace suggested “Octopus” because an octopus has eight tentacles. It made sense, and the rest is history.

Octopus Stats & Facts

• The first octopus was recorded in Week 2 of the 1994 NFL season. New York Jets wide receiver Rob Moore and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Torrence Small both scored an octopus on the same day.
• In 1996, Moore and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Terance Mathis became the first players to record a second octopus in their careers, which also happened on the same day in Week 4 of the 1996 season.
• Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis became the first player to score an octopus in the playoffs during the 1996 season.
• Running back Ryan Mathews from the Philadelphia Eagles became the first player to secure an octopus two times in the same season. In 2016, Mathews recorded an octopus in Week 10 and did it again in Week 15.
• There’s a popular Twitter account known as the NFL Octopus Tracker that updates fans on any Octopus attempt.

For something similar, check out our guide on round robin betting.