2026 WNBA Season Preview

With the 2026 WNBA season set to tip off in May, here’s a quick preview of what to expect from all 15 teams with championship odds courtesy of BetMGM.

New York Liberty (+225)

New York deserves to be the favorite and it’s not complicated. This is still the most complete roster in the league and they don’t rely on one specific game script to win. Breanna Stewart can carry stretches, Sabrina Ionescu gives them perimeter creation, and Jonquel Jones gives them a different look inside.

From a betting standpoint, what stands out is how stable they are. They don’t have many no-show performances, they handle weaker teams the way they should, and they’re comfortable in close games. That usually translates well over a full season.

The only real concern is price. At +225, you’re paying for a lot of things to go right again. They’re the safest team, but not necessarily the most valuable number on the board.

Las Vegas Aces (+400)

Vegas is right there with New York in terms of ceiling, but they come with a little more volatility. A’ja Wilson is still the best two-way player in the league, and when they’re engaged defensively, they dictate pace and physicality. Chennedy Carter was an interesting offseason addition to add some grit.

The issue last season was consistency. There were stretches where they didn’t control games the way you expect from a top-tier team. That showed up both ATS and in spots where they let inferior teams hang around.

If you believe that was more of a one-off than a trend, the Aces are playable at the current price. If the inconsistency sticks, they’re going to frustrate bettors again.

Indiana Fever (+425)

Indiana is the most interesting team on the board. The jump they made last season was real, and Caitlin Clark completely changes how teams defend them. Aliyah Boston gives them structure, so it’s not just a one-dimensional offense.

From a betting perspective, they’re going to be priced aggressively all year and that's a challenge. You’re not getting much margin for error anymore.

Where they could still offer value is in pace-driven games and against teams that can’t match their scoring. The question is defense. If that doesn’t improve, they’re going to be vulnerable in tighter matchups.

Atlanta Dream (+600)

Atlanta looks more balanced than they have in past seasons. Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray give them reliable scoring, and the roster overall is deeper and more talent-rich. The Dream made a splash in the offseason by acquiring polarizing star Angel Reese.

They’re not overly reliant on one player, which helps from a betting standpoint. They tend to stay competitive even when one piece isn’t producing.

At +600, they’re not a bad option if you think they take another (big) step.

Minnesota Lynx (+700)

Minnesota is one of the more trustworthy teams in the league. Napheesa Collier gives them consistency every night, and the roster around her is built to execute rather than freelance.

They’re not going to blow teams out consistently, but they also don’t give games away. That tends to show up in ATS numbers, especially on rare occasions as slight underdogs or short favorites.

At +500, they’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore, but they’re still the type of team that can grind through a deep playoff run if they get the right matchups.

Los Angeles Sparks (+1100)

The Sparks are tough to trust because the performance swings are so noticeable. Dearica Hamby gives them a consistent presence, but the rest of the roster hasn’t always followed. A healthy Cameron Brink will certainly make a difference.

They’ll compete in stretches, but putting together full games has been the issue. That usually shows up in blown leads or slow starts.

From a futures perspective, +1100 feels a bit optimistic unless something changes structurally.

Phoenix Mercury (+2500)

Phoenix is one of the harder teams to figure out. There’s enough offensive talent to stay competitive most nights, but the issue has been sustaining that over four quarters. Personnel-wise, the Mercury are really a mixed-bag. 

They tend to play in swings — big runs, then long droughts. That can make them tricky ATS and even trickier late in games.

At +2500, you’re betting on them finding consistency they haven’t shown in recent years. There’s upside, but it’s not a trusted track record from a betting standpoint.

Dallas Wings (+3500)

Dallas is still the “if they figure it out” team. Arike Ogunbowale gives them a go-to scorer, and they’ve got enough around her to be dangerous offensively. The fresh-faced duo of Paige Bueckers and first overall draft pick Azzi Fudd is intriguing to be sure.

The problem continues to be defensive consistency and game management. They’ll win games they shouldn’t and lose games they shouldn’t.

From a betting perspective, they’re often better as underdogs than favorites. At +3500, you’re banking on a breakthrough that would be way ahead of schedule.

Golden State Valkyries (+3500)

Golden State is still in that early-stage build. There’s talent, but the bigger issue is cohesion and whether it can put it together over an entire season.

Expansion teams usually take time to settle, and that’s still the case here. They’ll compete, but consistency over a long season is tough.

From a betting standpoint, they’re more interesting game-to-game than as a futures option at this price.

Chicago Sky (+10000)

Chicago is clearly back in development mode having dealt Angel Reese to Atlanta. The overall roster is still coming together.

They’re going to rely heavily on effort and rebounding to stay in games. Offense will likely be inconsistent.

From a betting standpoint, they could offer value as larger underdogs early in the season before the market fully adjusts as most bettors seem to be fairly low on this squad.

Toronto Tempo (+10000)

Toronto enters as an expansion team but did bring in plenty of name talent by way of the Expansion Draft, as evidenced by their fairly reasonable championship odds. They’ve compiled enough experience to at least stay competitive in games and likely tread water at times.

The issue is depth and continuity. Expansion teams tend to struggle with both, especially early in the season. They could offer some value catching bigger numbers, particularly at home, but it’s tough to project consistency.

Washington Mystics (+12500)

Washington feels like a team without a clear direction right now. Stop me if you've heard that before. There are pieces, but not enough to form a consistent identity.

That usually leads to unpredictable results. At +12500, and seemingly in a constant state of rebuilding, it’s hard to make a case for any sort of run. They’re more of a game-to-game evaluation team.

Seattle Storm (+20000)

Seattle figures to experience wild swings from week-to-week. There's some top-end talent, but the supporting cast hasn’t always been reliable and it looks to be a similar story this year.

That inconsistency shows up in results. They’ll have stretches where they look like a top team, then follow it with a couple of flat performances.

From a betting angle, they’re obviously more of a situational team than a futures play. You want them in the right spots, certainly not to win it all at this stage.

Connecticut Sun (+25000)

Connecticut is in a transition phase after losing key pieces in recent years. That matters because their identity was built around consistency and physicality.

They’ll still compete as they always do but the margin is thinner now. They’re not going to have the same control in games.

From a betting perspective, they might still outperform expectations early, but over a full season, this looks like another step back for the Sun.

Portland Fire (+25000)

Portland looks like a long-term build - certainly moreso than its expansion cousin in Toronto. There are some interesting pieces, but not enough top-end talent yet to compete consistently.

The Fire will likely struggle offensively, which makes them tough to back unless the number is significant.

From a futures standpoint, there’s obviously not much of a case here. This is more about development than results in year one.

Final thoughts

At the top, it’s still the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces as front-runners.

The gap behind them isn’t massive though. The Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream and Minnesota Lynx are close enough to give those two top teams a run. After that, it opens up. There’s more depth across the league now, fewer easy matchups, and a lot more variance night-to-night — which usually creates opportunity if you’re picking your spots.