As the season reaches its midway point, daylight is emerging between WNBA Finals contenders and underdogs — and the sportsbooks are responding with a betting odds shakeup.
In just its second year, Golden State rose to fourth on the championship odds board, leapfrogging Atlanta to sit at +900 on FanDuel and DraftKings.
The Valkyries trail frontrunners Minnesota (+160), Las Vegas (+310), and New York (+450), while the Dream caps the Top 5 with 13-1 odds to win the title.
Big-name bookmakers remain divided on potential upsets, with FanDuel favoring Indiana (+1700) over Dallas (+1900) for the sixth-shortest odds.
DK Sports gives the Fever and Wings an even split at +1800, while all other teams weigh in at +15,000 or longer.
This season’s longest shot is also up for debate, as FanDuel has newcomer Portland bringing up the rear at +50,000, while DK puts last-place Connecticut at the bottom with a 1000-1 chance at a ring.
WNBA award debates are already in full swing, as familiar favorites like A’ja Wilson and fresh faces like Olivia Miles emerge as betting odds favorites for MVP, Rookie of the Year, and other top honors.
Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson hasn’t let up, leading the WNBA player stats with 25.7 points and 2.2 blocks per game while sitting Top 5 in rebounds and 3-point percentage.
Indiana sharpshooter Caitlin Clark isn’t far behind, ranking third in scoring and second in assists, while leading rebounders Angel Reese and Jessica Shepard battle for a shot at Defensive Player of the Year.
Minnesota first-year Olivia Miles is dominating the Rookie of the Year odds — while also landing on a few MVP shortlists.
The 23-year-old leads her class with 18.5 points and 4.9 assists per game, making her the overwhelming ROY favorite at -2500 while climbing the MVP ranks at +1200.
Retired Sparks legend Candace Parker won MVP and ROY in 2008, remaining the only player in WNBA history to take both in a single season.
A busy five-game slate headlines the WNBA schedule on Wednesday, May 27th, with teams looking to add to momentum or beat the odds as the 2026 season ramps up.
The night begins in Brooklyn, where the New York Liberty faces the Phoenix Mercury in a matchup featuring two perennial contenders still searching for consistency amid growing injury concerns.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Sky returns home to battle the surging Toronto Tempo. Later, the Minnesota Lynx host defensively dominant Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream, while the Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics subsequently put standout WNBA rookies to the test.
With star power spread across the schedule and more than a few close betting lines, tonight’s games could deliver major movement in the WNBA standings.
Below is the complete WNBA schedule for Wednesday, May 27th, including where fans can watch each matchup live across USA and WNBA League Pass.
- Phoenix Mercury at New York Liberty, 7 PM ET on USA
- Toronto Tempo at Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET on WNBA League Pass
- Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx, 9 PM ET on USA
- Connecticut Sun at Portland Fire, 10 PM ET on WNBA League Pass
NY Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury Player Predictions
The NY Liberty returns to Barclays Center on Wednesday night for a meeting with the Phoenix Mercury, as both teams look to steady themselves after uneven season starts.
New York enters as the slight favorite, but injury concerns continue to cloud the Liberty rotation with Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton all listed as questionable.
Phoenix arrives with a 2-5 record that may not fully reflect how competitive the team has been. Four of the Mercury’s losses have come by single digits, while New York has struggled to dominate opponents ahead of its third game in four nights.
Chicago Sky vs. Toronto Tempo Player Predictions
Odds favorite Chicago Sky is hoping to snap a two-game skid tonight, gearing up to face a Toronto Tempo squad also looking to rebound from consecutive losses.
Chicago’s recent struggles have intensified following Rickea Jackson’s season-ending injury, with the Sky slipping near the bottom of the league in offensive rating. Multiple injuries continue to thin the roster, including absences for Courtney Vandersloot, DiJonai Carrington, and rookie Gabriela Jaquez.
Toronto enters at 3-4 on the season despite recent blowout defeats to Minnesota and Portland. Still, the Tempo feature one of the league’s more dynamic backcourts as Kiki Rice, Marina Mabrey, and Brittney Sykes lead the offense.
Angel Reese Clash Headlines WNBA Games to Watch Tonight
Three additional games complete Wednesday’s WNBA slate, highlighted by a rematch between the Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream.
Minnesota has impressed with a 4-2 start despite missing Napheesa Collier. However, Angel Reese and Atlanta already handed the Lynx a narrow loss earlier this season, giving the Dream a slight money line edge.
Elsewhere, Carla Leite and the Portland Fire play betting line favorites against the Connecticut Sun, while the rookie-powered Seattle Storm look to earn another win over the equally youthful Washington Mystics.
The Chicago Sky handed the Golden State Valkyries their first loss of the 2026 season in a defensive battle at the Chase Center on Wednesday night.
Chicago overcame a 12-point deficit to secure a 69-63 win, moving the Valkyries to a 2-1 record.
The game was a struggle for both offenses. Chicago lacked energy, going 0-for-11 from three-point range and trailing 19-7 after the first quarter. But then the Sky’s defense locked in, holding the Valkyries to just nine points in the second.
Rookie standout Rickea Jackson proved to be the difference-maker for Chicago. She scored 18 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 1:41 remaining that silenced the sold-out crowd of 18,064.
Skylar Diggins added another 15 points and seven assists for the Sky, orchestrating a second-half offense that finally found its rhythm.
The Valkyries, meanwhile, struggled with shooting all night, finishing at just 29.3% from the field. Gabby Williams matched Jackson with 18 points and Veronica Burton sparked a late run with 16 points, but Golden State just couldn't overcome a rare off-night from Kayla Thornton, who went 0-for-11.
WNBA Betting Odds 2026: Sky Defies the Spread
Heading into the matchup, the Sky vs Valkyries predictions favored Golden State by 5.5 points. Chicago’s outright win provided a big payout for sports bettors at +195.
Chicago will now continue its season-opening road trip in Phoenix this Friday, while Golden State enjoys a week off before traveling to the New York Liberty.
Undefeated defending champion UConn enters the Women's Final Four as the odds-on betting favorite to capture a back-to-back NCAA title, though the Huskies' futures have narrowed in recent weeks.
According to DraftKings, UConn sits at -160 to win the national championship. Texas and South Carolina follow at +550, while UCLA holds the longest Final Four odds at +600. The Huskies stood at -190 in January, and had hovered in the -200 range until recently.
UCLA faces an uphill battle despite cruising through the NCAA tournament as the second-highest overall seed. History appears to influence Vegas's skepticism toward the Bruins, as they next meet fellow No. 1 seed Texas on Friday with the Longhorns favored by 1.5 points.
Texas represents the only team to beat UCLA this season, impacting both the semifinal spread and the Longhorns' improved title odds.
UConn currently holds a 6.5-point edge over South Carolina in the weekend's other Final Four clash. The game marks a rematch of the Huskies' blowout 2025 championship victory over the Gamecocks.
South Carolina has drawn the most championship futures bets at both BetMGM and FanDuel. Meanwhile, UCLA has generated significant handle at BetMGM, making the Bruins the sportsbook's largest remaining liability.
The women's tournament continues showing strong growth in the betting markets. According to ESPN, Circa Sports has reached seven-figure handle across the tournament, with plans to make even more games available to bettors next season.
"We've been very pleased with the action," Circa Sports risk manager Dominick DeBonis told the publication this week.
"[We] are very excited about how the women's side of the game has grown in betting interest and national visibility."
The Final Four tips off in Phoenix on Friday at 7 PM ET, with the national championship game following on Sunday at 3:30 PM ET, live on ESPN.
UConn enters the NCAA women's basketball bracket as the overwhelming favorite to capture a record-extending 13th national championship, as the Huskies capped Selection Sunday with -270 odds — the shortest odds for a pre-tournament favorite since 2018.
Coach Geno Auriemma's squad carries a perfect 34-0 record into March Madness. The defending NCAA champions earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year's tournament.
A sizable gap separates UConn from the rest of the NCAA women's basketball bracket. Big Ten tournament winner UCLA holds the second-best odds at +550, despite finishing 31-1 with an undefeated conference record. The Bruins also earned a No. 1 seed, representing the biggest threat to UConn's title defense.
The SEC dominates the next tier of odds contenders, with Texas sitting at +700 followed by South Carolina at +800. LSU enters between +1,700 and +2,200, while Vanderbilt checks around +5,000.
Michigan (+9,000), Duke (+10,000), Iowa (+10,000), and Louisville (+10,000) round out the bracket's Top 10 highest odds.
Sportsbook BetMGM reports that UConn, UCLA, and South Carolina have attracted 57.4% of championship future handle throughout the season. The three favorites generated public support all year, though Michigan and Vanderbilt could cause March Madness challenges for the college basketball heavy-hitters.
Current NCAA Women’s Basketball Bracket Championship Odds
UConn -275
UCLA +550
Texas +650
South Carolina +900
LSU +1700
Vanderbilt +5000
Michigan +9000
Duke +10000
Iowa +10000
Louisville +10000
Oklahoma +12500
TCU +12500
Ole Miss +12500
NC State +15000
Kentucky +15000
Maryland +17500
Notre Dame +20000
Tennessee +20000
North Carolina +20000
Iowa State +20000
Ohio State +20000
Texas Tech +20000
USC +25000
Baylor +25000
Alabama +25000
West Virginia +25000
Minnesota +25000
Michigan State +30000
Washington +30000
Oklahoma State +50000
Viollanova +50000
Arizona State +50000
Colorado +50000
Colorado State +50000
Princeton +50000
Syracuse +50000
Virginia Tech +50000
Illinois +50000
Nebraska +75000
Oregon +75000
Clemson +75000
Georgia +75000
Gonzaga +75000
Virginia +100000
Richmond +150000
Cal Baptist +150000
FDU +150000
Charleston +150000
Fairfield +200000
Jacksonville +200000
Rhode Island +200000
High Point +200000
South Dakota State +200000
Idaho +200000
Green Bay +200000
James Madison +200000
Western Illinois +200000
Vermont +200000
Holy Cross +200000
Miami Ohio +200000
UC San Diego +200000
Samford +500000
Stephen F. Austin +500000
Southern +500000
Missouri State +500000
UTSA +500000
Murray State +500000
Howard +500000
The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.
No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.
DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.
Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.
"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."
"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."
The New York Liberty will open the 2025 WNBA season at the top of the league's power rankings, drumming up high expectations despite a short-staffed roster.
Trailing the reigning champions at No. 2 are 2024 runners-up Minnesota, followed by 2023 champs Las Vegas at No. 3.
Fueled by this year's overall No. 2 draft pick Dominique Malonga, the Seattle Storm claimed No. 4 in the WNBA rankings, with the revamped Indiana Fever eyeing a 2025 turnaround at No. 5.
The betting market similarly reflects the league's latest forecast, with sportsbook FanDuel setting the Liberty's title odds at +210, followed by the Aces at +360, and the Lynx at +370.
The lines also support Indiana's promise, giving the Fever the fourth-best championship odds at +390 — far higher than the fifth-best Phoenix Mercury at +1,300.
On the other hand, the Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Golden State Valkyries occupy the rankings' bottom half, as 2025's potential lottery teams prepare to prove themselves against top-line squads this season.
The up-for-sale Sun and brand-new Valkyries have the longest title odds on FanDuel, clocking in at +50,000 each.
While preseason action has provided some quality sneak peeks, Friday's opening tip-off represents a fresh start for the league, one where anything can — and likely will — happen.
European WNBA stars drop out of 2025 EuroBasket
Several European WNBA standouts announced they will skip out on this summer's FIBA EuroBasket, opting to prioritize league play following a pivotal 2024 Olympics.
Reigning Olympic silver medalists Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga both confirmed they will not represent France at the European tournament in June, opting to remain with the Seattle Storm.
The duo's France teammate Carla Leite is also forgoing the trip, instead remaining with the Golden State Valkyries for the entirety of the expansion side's debut season.
As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.
The 2025 regional FIBA competition between Europe's top national teams will tip off on June 18th.
With the 2025 WNBA season around the corner, sportsbooks have already been setting the field for this year's MVP race, with odds heavily slanted toward three early frontrunners.
Last season's Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark leads the 2025 race, with FanDuel currently placing the Indiana Fever guard at +200, followed closely by Las Vegas's three-time league MVP A'ja Wilson (+230), and Minnesota's 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier (+300).
DraftKings rates Clark similarly at +220, putting Wilson at +225 and Collier at +400.
After a blockbuster rookie season, opinions on Clark's sophomore ceiling vary, with ESPN ranking the 23-year-old as the WNBA's overall fourth-best player entering the 2025 season, trailing just Wilson, Collier, and New York's 2023 MVP and 2024 champion Breanna Stewart.
However, the media giant's own ESPN BET has Clark leading the MVP odds at +200, a likely response to bettor interest rather than analyst predictions.
Dallas's 2025 No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers is the clear favorite for this season's Rookie of the Year award, carrying -255 odds on ESPN BET despite not making the overall preseason Top 25.
There's no such thing as a sure bet, but the market is clearly mirroring fan interest, hyping up these young players before a single team takes the 2025 season's court.