By Tatiana Martins, journalist at G&M News.
The site was launched with a powerful mission: to create a space for women in the betting world. What inspired you to start this community, and what gap did you see in the market?
I’ve spent my whole career in finance, and I’ll be honest, stepping into the sports betting space was not really something I had planned for, but it’s just sort of happened. When I came to the U.S. in 2018 (right around the PASPA-repeal), sports betting was just starting to become legal in a handful of states. It was obvious who the target audience was (spoiler alert: it was not women). That’s when the lightbulb went off: why not build a place for women bettors? There was no space for us to connect and there aren’t that many outlets like ours around still today. BettingLadies.com was born to fill that gap. The goal: no more feeling like the lone lady at the sportsbook, no more decoding confusing odds sheets on your own. We wanted a community where women could meet other women that bet on sports. Lately, we have also added sweeps casinos to the discussion as there is a natural cross over there.
In just a short time, Betting Ladies has grown into a strong group. What are some of the most important issues you’ve learned from your users so far?
First, that women bet on the same things men bet on. Initially, I thought women would be more interested in women’s sports, and -don’t get me wrong- they are, but most women bet on the major events like Super Bowl, March Madness, etc. We really just want the same thing as men when it comes to betting, which is a good user experience and to have fun while betting. Second, women tend to bet together in groups a bit more than men. There are women who get together and bet, and the community aspect (or friendship if you will) becomes a major component. While casino games are sometimes a bit more solitaire as an activity, sports betting is often done in a social setting (sports bars, outside of arenas, etc.). Third, that said, there are women betting on sports who keep it quiet. It’s not something that they talk about with others. In fact, our survey showed that they lie about their betting habits to their husbands. That is hopefully changing, especially since women’s sports have grown in tandem with women betting. Simply, it’s becoming more normal for women to bet on sports.
Sports betting is still largely male-dominated. What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for women entering this space, whether as bettors, influencers, or professionals?
It’s only “male-dominated” because more men than women bet. That’s it. More women than before bet on sports but I am not sure we’ll have an audience that is 50/50 in the future, and that’s ok. As with any activity that has historically been done by men, where women have come in and shown interested, we just need to let it continue to pan out as it has in the last couple of years. We have seen more female bettors gaining popularity on social media and in general media, and some companies have started to pay attention to the female demographic. We don’t need to force parity; we need to keep showing up, keep being visible, and let evolution happen. Eventually, it won’t be about “women bettors” or “men bettors: we’ll all just be bettors.
How do you see the role of education and shared experience in helping more women feel confident and welcome in sports betting?
From what I’ve seen, newcomers to sports betting mostly just need a quick crash course to get started. Once you understand the basics like moneyline, spread, and totals, you’re in a much better position to jump in. That’s where our content comes in. We break it down simply so anyone can get the fundamentals fast. After that, it’s really about learning by doing. The shared experience is what makes it fun. I post all my bets in our community, wins and losses, because being real about the journey helps others feel confident enough to try it themselves. When you see someone else figuring it out, it feels way more approachable.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Betting Ladies? Are there any upcoming projects, partnerships, or initiatives you’re excited to share?
Right now, our team is heads down, focused on two major priorities. First, we’re growing the community by deepening our connection with existing users and reaching new ones who haven’t heard about us yet. That includes participating in interviews and media features. We were recently featured on Yahoo, which was a great moment for us. Second, we’re expanding (actually, we already started) our focus beyond sports betting to include casino and sweepstakes casino content. This area has really resonated with our members, so we’re exploring new ways to become a trusted, go-to source for information and entertainment in that space as well.