The WNBA season begins May 8, and it’s set to be one of the biggest to date. The league is celebrating its 30th year with the addition of two new franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, bringing the total to 15 teams.
As a brand, the W has never had more popular stars to promote. Caitlin Clark. A’ja Wilson. Sabrina Ionescu. Napheesa Collier. Paige Bueckers. The league is in excellent hands right now, and it’s shaping up to be an especially competitive season.
Before things officially get underway, though, we’re taking a look at a handful of the best bets you can make right now. These are fewer predictions and more about getting maximum value before the season starts, and odds shift dramatically.
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Best WNBA Futures to Bet Today
These lines won’t last. BetOnline provides odds on the WNBA futures bets you have to lock in now.
Dominique Malonga: Most Improved Player (+150)
Malonga is poised for a huge year with the Seattle Storm. The second-year big – still just 20 – came off the bench in all 42 games in 2025, averaging 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and about a block over 14.3 minutes.
The reason why a breakout is coming? Seattle lost star forward Nneka Ogwumike to the Los Angeles Sparks via free agency, and Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Brittney Sykes departed, too. All told, that’s the top four scorers on last year’s roster.
Despite her low averages, Malonga did begin trending up toward the end of the season. All four of her double-doubles came in July and August, and when she got time on the floor, she made the most of it. When she played at least 24 minutes, she averaged 16.8 points and 9 rebounds.
Those numbers could resemble her season-long averages in 2026, and oddsmakers clearly expect that she’ll at least make a sizable improvement year over year. Given the potential for a significant role increase, Malonga is the easy choice for Most Improved Player at +150.
Are there other candidates who could make a push for the award? Absolutely. Sonia Citron is there at +400. Bridget Carleton (+900) and Nyara Sabally (+1000) could thrive as some of the faces of the league’s expansion teams. But the easiest argument to make is for Malonga.
Toronto Tempo to Make the Playoffs (+350)
Speaking of those expansion teams: The Golden State Valkyries surprised everyone by making the playoffs in their inaugural season in 2025. If we get a repeat in 2026, the Toronto Tempo appears most likely to follow in their footsteps.
The roster, already, is solid. Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes are genuine stars. Temi Fagbenle, Nyara Sabally, and Julie Allemand round out a strong supporting cast. Rookie Kiki Rice is also the kind of player who could make an immediate impact off the bench.
And then there’s the coaching. Sandy Brondello, a two-time champion (2014, 2024) is calling the shots on the sidelines. She coached the Liberty to an average of about 30 wins over each of the last three seasons, and she’s known for being a strong competitor. Don’t expect her to be content with this being a learning year.
I don’t want to say that the Tempo is a lock to make the postseason, but I feel much better about their chances than these odds imply. A few early-season wins could reset the market, so now is the time for action.
A’ja Wilson: Defensive Player of the Year (+240)
If you’re unwilling to back A’ja Wilson as the WNBA MVP this early, allow me to suggest betting her to win Defensive Player of the Year. This is an award she’s claimed in three of the last four seasons, and she finished second in the lone year she lost.
Moreover, the player Wilson lost the award to in 2024 – Napheesa Collier – will miss the beginning of the WNBA season, with a likely return date set for some point in June. Collier would still be eligible to win DPOY once she’s back, but she’ll have some serious ground to make up if Wilson remains healthy to that point.
Aliyah Boston (+750) and Gabby Williams (+800) are next up, but neither player is the disruptor that Wilson so consistently is. In each of the last four seasons, she’s averaged at least 1.4 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. She recorded at least one steal or block in 38 out of 40 games in 2025.
Wilson is the driving force behind an Aces defense that often ranks among the league’s best. This feels like a freebie.
New York Liberty: Over 32.5 Wins (-130)
The Liberty have never won more than 32 games in a season, so there’s certainly some pause in betting on a franchise record being set at -130. They went 32-8 in 2023 and 2024, though, and are heavy favorites to win the WNBA Finals in 2026.
New head coach Chris DeMarco is unproven in the WNBA, but he spent over a decade working alongside Steve Kerr as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors, and more than a few connections can be made between Sabrina Ionescu and Stephen Curry.
The big kicker, though, is the addition of Satou Sabally to a core that already featured Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones. A three-time All-Star and former First Team All-WNBA selection, Sabally helped guide the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA Finals in 2025.
Sabally also spent three years playing alongside Ionescu for the Oregon Ducks in college, and while they’ve expanded their games since then, there’s little reason to worry about their potential on-court fit.
New York is set to dominate during the regular season. Take the over.
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Final Thoughts
A few things are certain when it comes to futures bets. One major injury could derail a team’s entire season, no matter how good things were looking beforehand. Sports bettors need to be bold, though, and take advantage of value whenever they find it.
These WNBA futures bets are among the best you can make right now, and they won’t last. Don’t wait for the markets to shift.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
