The Golden State Valkyries made history by capturing the WNBA title in just their second season to become the fastest expansion team from a North American league to win a championship — and the odds are in their favor to contend once again.
The Valks are listed as the 2027 WNBA title favorites with +300 odds at BetMGM (bet $10 to win $30). They don't have the best odds at every sportsbook though — that claim belongs to the Las Vegas Aces (+360) at FanDuel and to the Minnesota Lynx (+310) at DraftKings.
The order continues to vary across the market, but the top four teams are consistent, with the Atlanta Dream rounding out what looks to be a clear top tier of contenders. Their +500 odds are the longest of the quartet at FanDuel while the Lynx's +600 odds are the longest of the four at any of the three sportsbooks, where each of these teams have odds that give them anywhere between a 14 and 25 percent implied probability to win a ring next season.
Three of the four are expected to return their veteran cores. The Valkyries will welcome back Finals MVP Gabby Williams alongside their other top-three leading scorers, Janelle Salaun and Veronica Burton. The Dream have Angel Reese, Rhyne Hoard, Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada under contract. And while Jackie Young could explore free agency waters, the Aces will still return A'ja Wilson fresh off her record fourth league MVP campaign, as well as Chelsea Gray and Jewell Lloyd.
Translation: Those three will have the talent to compete for another ring. The Lynx, on the other hand, are holding the end of Napheesa Collier's latest contract in Minnesota. They did open this past season 22-6 while the perennial MVP was sidelined, in large part to the rapid ascension of unanimous Rookie of the Year, Olivia Miles — so it's viable that Minnesota would still be part of this top four if Collier leaves after eight seasons with the team that drafted her.
There is a clear drop-off after that group with some combination of the Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever and New York Liberty making up the next one. The Fever and Liberty lead this trio at FanDuel and DraftKings, where their +900 and +1000 odds give them between a nine and 10 percent implied probability of winning it all, respectively. And curiously, the Wings are ahead of both at BetMGM with +750 odds that give Dallas closer to a 12 percent implied probability — but are at the back of this pack at FanDuel, where their odds double to +1300 (around a seven percent implied probability).
This article originally appeared in The Athletic .
WNBA, Sports Betting
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