The timing is nice. Just as NBA betting is almost over, the WNBA gets going and diehard hoops fans still have something to watch and wager on.
Here's a look at the top sportsbook favorites as the season begins.
1. Los Angeles Sparks (+375)
Is it a bit of a stretch for L.A. to open the season as the top favorite despite losing the WNBA career scoring and rebounding leader, Lisa Leslie, to retirement? Not necessarily. Los Angeles still has a dominant front court, led by Olympians Candace Parker, Tina Thompson and Delisha Milton-Jones.
The Achilles heel for the Sparks is the backcourt. Case in point: they ranked second in the league in blocks and boards last year but were the worst three-point shooting and stealing team. If they can work on moving the ball up the floor better, they'll be a force. Otherwise, they could be stuck in neutral.
2. Seattle Storm (+450)
The Storm are led by major high-end talent in two-time MVP Lauren Jackson, who averaged 19.2 points per game last season, and Sue Bird. The big problem for the Storm is health. Each of their top stars missed time last season and a back injury kept Jackson out of the playoffs for a second straight season. If they can avoid the infirmary, they'll be a force, but how often does that happen?
3. New York Liberty (+500)
Here's the first hint that the oddsmakers don't follow their women's basketball closely enough. The New York Liberty finished 13-21 last season yet are the No. 3 favorites to win it all this year? Huh? Well, the books are assuming the Liberty will gel quickly after a major roster makeover this past offseason. Adding Cappie Pondexter and Nicole Powell gives them two major scoring options they lacked last year. So the Liberty should improve and return to the playoffs. But it seems a bit premature to bet on them to win it all.
7. (!) Phoenix Mercury (+700)
The No. 7 beside Phoenix – the defending WNBA champion – is not a misprint. Somehow, the champs are the seventh-ranked team entering this season. Sure, they lost Pondexter, but they still have the league's leading scorer in Diana Taurasi and acquired a solid addition in Candice Dupree. Like their male counterparts, the Mercury don't defend well but they score like crazy.
Today's free pick: Phoenix +700. How often do you get that kind of value on a league champ in any sport? Throw down.
