WNBA futures odds, best bets: Aces, Mystics lead crowded field in 2020
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The originally scheduled start of the WNBA season came and went May 15, putting a damper on what was set to be one of the most important seasons in league history. As is the case with the NBA, we don't know for certain when (or if) the season will resume or just how many games might be played.
Teams are still planning for a season, trimming their rosters to 12 players by Tuesday in preparation for the start of the year. So there's no better time to find value in the betting market after a wild offseason that saw nearly every contender reinvent its core.
Here are the title odds for the 2020 WNBA season and which teams you should be targeting:
| TEAM | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Las Vegas Aces | +350 |
| Washington Mystics | +350 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | +400 |
| Connecticut Sun | +500 |
| Phoenix Mercury | +900 |
| Seattle Storm | +900 |
| Chicago Sky | +1500 |
| New York Liberty | +2000 |
| Minnesota Lynx | +2500 |
| Indiana Fever | +5000 |
| Dallas Wings | +7500 |
| Atlanta Dream | +8000 |
The favorites
After winning their first WNBA title in October, the Mystics (+350) enter 2020 as the cofavorites, but the path back won't be easy. Washington's title nucleus was rattled by the surprising loss of Kristi Toliver, who was a catalyst for the Mystics' record-setting offense in 2019. Reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne could show signs of regression after offseason back surgery. Can the Mystics still win it all if their star takes a step back?
Meanwhile, the rich get richer in Las Vegas (+350). A year after trading for star center Liz Cambage, the Aces added free-agent headliner Angel McCoughtry to form a devastating trio led by MVP hopeful A'ja Wilson. Vegas underwhelmed as a preseason favorite in 2019, but there's simply too much talent to not take a shot again this year.
And then there's Los Angeles (+400), which added Toliver to guide a backcourt that simply couldn't find its way in the semifinals a year ago. There are better options on the board - the Aces have a more cohesive roster, and the Mystics have more experience - but, at a slightly better price, the Sparks are worth a look.
Value plays
The Sun (+500) came out of nowhere last season to nearly win the WNBA title, and three-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner feels like a perfect fit for Connecticut's versatile lineup. If defensive stalwart Briann January can fill the massive hole left by Courtney Williams, there's value on another run from one of the most complete teams in the league.
The Storm (+900) reached the second round last year without former MVP Breanna Stewart, who's the biggest wild card of the WNBA season. After missing the entire 2019 season, she might not be ready for the start of 2020, whenever that is. If she can return by the postseason - and that's a big "if" - Seattle is easily the best value on the board.
Long shots
We'd be remiss to not mention the Liberty (+2000), who are at least worth watching with No. 1 pick Sabrina Ionescu in the fold. Still, the price is far too short for one of 2019's worst teams, with defense still a significant concern in New York.
The real long shots to consider are the Wings (+7500), who added three first-round picks to a team that already boasts a young star in Arike Ogunbowale. Is Dallas good? Probably not. But any team getting 75-1 odds in a 12-team league is worth a look when it features some of the high-upside pieces on this roster.
Best bet
Las Vegas Aces (+350)
After a wild free agency that saw half the league consolidate into superteams, you're really only getting value on one of those six teams - or three, given how talent-rich the favorites are this year.
No team has repeated since 2002, and the Mystics will be hard-pressed to do so without another stellar year from Delle Donne. The Sparks have yet to demonstrate the roster balance that both finalists had in 2019. That leaves the Aces, who were a few missed shots away from upsetting Washington in last year's postseason and are built for success in 2020.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.