Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark has a strong chance of becoming NCAA D1 basketball’s all-time scoring leader regardless of gender before she finishes her collegiate career. For that reason, DraftKings Sportsbook is offering special betting markets on not only whether she will do so but how and when.
DraftKings’ betting favorite is for Clark to break Pete Maravich’s scoring record on a 3-point basket on March 3 at home against Ohio State. As Clark needs just 51 points to break the record heading into the Iowa Hawkeyes’ Feb. 28 game at Minnesota, betting options depend on several factors.
Clark record-breaker futures odds on DraftKings
While the aforementioned scenario has the shortest odds, there are myriad combinations that DraftKings is currently offering. Bettors do not have to select both a method and game. They are free to just bet on either the game or the method if they choose to.
Bettors also can choose to bet on Clark not reaching the record-breaking 3,668th career point during the 2023-24 season. Clark already holds the NCAA’s career scoring record for women’s basketball and surpassing Maravich would make her the NCAA’s leading scorer for basketball regardless of gender.
With each successive game, DraftKings could move these odds significantly depending on Clark’s performance. However, at her current pace, March 3 against the Buckeyes is likely to be the day. A dig into the numbers shows why some other options might be worth considering.
Clark’s splits for the 2023-24 season
Through the Hawkeyes’ Feb. 25 game against Illinois, Clark is averaging 32.1 points on this current season. Her other per-game splits for points during the 2023-24 season are:
- Home — 32.4 points
- Away — 31.5 points
- Against Minnesota* — 35 points
- At Ohio State* — 45 points
Clark is averaging 22.7 shot attempts per game overall this season, breaking down to 13.6 3-point attempts and 9.1 2-point attempts per game. She is also averaging 6.8 free throw attempts per contest so far in 2023-24. Her other splits for shot distribution are:
- Home — 23.2 overall attempts (14.3 3-point, 8.9 2-point), 5.5 free throws attempted
- Away — 23 overall attempts (13 3-point, 10 2-point), 7.8 free throws attempted
- Against Minnesota* — 22 overall attempts (16 3-point, six 2-point), three free throws attempted
- At Ohio State* — 25 overall attempts (18 3-point, seven 2-point), 16 free throws attempted
Clark is shooting 46.5% from the field overall so far in the 2023-24 season. That percentage increases to 57.9% on 2-point attempts and drops to 38.8% on 3-point attempts. She is also hitting 84.8% of her free throw attempts. Other splits for the 2023-24 season as far as Clark’s shooting percentages go are:
- Home — 47.5% overall, 38.2% 3-point, 62.6% 2-point, 88.9% free throw
- Away — 43.9% overall, 35.4% 3-point, 55% 2-point, 85.9% free throw
- Against Minnesota* — 59.1% overall, 50% 3-point, 83.3% 2-point, 33.3% free throws
- At Ohio State* — 48% overall, 38.9% 3-point, 71.4% 2-point, 87.5% free throws
*=opponents Clark has already faced in the 2023-24 season which are on Iowa’s remaining schedule
Biggest takeaways from the data
Based on all this data, it does indeed look most likely that the shot Clark will break the record on will be a 3-point attempt. While she’s statistically more likely to convert a 2-point attempt or a free throw, the disparity in the volume of attempts more than counteracts those percentages.
The current margin between Feb. 28 at Minnesota and March 3 against Ohio State is significant. Clark would have to blow by her season and situational averages to break the record in Minneapolis. Reaching 51 points would not only be a new career high for her but also a program record.
There might be something to be said about Clark’s desire to break the record in Iowa City instead of on the road, too. With the Hawkeyes currently in danger of finishing third in the Big Ten regular-season standings and missing out on a double-bye in the upcoming Big Ten tournament, Iowa needs wins. Many basketball experts will tell you that winning comes easier when your best player scores a lot of points.
Clark seems destined to become the NCAA’s new basketball scoring leader regardless of gender. DraftKings is offering bettors a chance to win some money based on how and when that happens.