Polymarket Blasted for Bets Related to Sex Toy Throwing at WNBA Games

Polymarket is seizing on the recent rise in sex toy-throwing incidents at WNBA games by offering betting markets tied to those events. The controversial betting offering has caused both large interest and large outcry amongst sports fans.

Polymarket Faces Backlash Over WNBA Sex Toy Betting Markets

Since late July, incidents involving fans throwing sex toys at WNBA games have sharply increased. One such episode occurred during Tuesday’s Phoenix Mercury game, where the alleged thrower was arrested after the object reportedly hit a man and his nine-year-old niece. Polymarket, known for capitalizing on controversial topics, created a betting market around the trend.

In what could be seen as proof that people will bet on just about anything, more than $500,000 worth of sex toy-related event contracts had changed hands on Polymarket by late last week. In recent days, trading activity on these novelty markets has, at times, outpaced that of contracts tied to the actual outcomes of WNBA games.

The move was met with backlash from WNBA fans. One commenter on social media criticized the platform’s stunt as disrespectful to WNBA players. Another argued that allowing bets on whether or how many of the explicit items will appear at games only serves to encourage inappropriate behavior.

Despite the backlash, Polymarket has not removed the contracts. In fact, interest remains strong heading into the weekend slate, with nearly $63,000 in wagers placed on Friday’s games alone at the time of writing. As the table below shows, most bettors are currently leaning toward “no” outcomes.

According to Polymarket, the market will settle as “Yes” if a dildo is thrown onto the court during a WNBA game on the specified date. Otherwise, it will resolve as “No.” The platform specifies that only a dildo (defined by the company as an object shaped like an erect penis and used for sexual stimulation) will qualify. Other types of sex toys are explicitly excluded.

Polymarket Is Not Alone In This Trend

Polymarket isn’t the only company trying to profit from the strange phenomenon of throwing sex toys on the court of WNBA games. Some offshore sportsbooks have also entered the fray, as several have launched similar markets before Polymarket did. At least one has offered more than five such betting options, and reports suggest that bettors have engaged with them enthusiastically.

In addition, the WNBA sex toy controversy highlights the lengths some individuals will go to profit in today’s crypto-driven landscape. Recent incidents appear to be linked to promoters of a memecoin called Green Dildo Coin. Interestingly, the digital currency has achieved its goal, as it has more than quadrupled in value over the past week.