The Las Vegas Aces are basking in their offseason on top, but sportsbooks are already looking ahead to a potential repeat with WNBA odds to win the 2023 championship posted at most major outlets.
The Aces won the 2022 title in convincing fashion, 3-1 over the Connecticut Sun, after sitting as the odds leaders for most of the season. Even with their entire corps returning, that didn't stop them from going out and signing two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker to bolster their already stacked roster.
The WNBA free agency period kicked off January 15, and some of the league's biggest names and best players — including Breanna Stewart and now-freed Britney Griner — could be on the move.
We've already seen former MVP Jonquel Jones dealt to New York and Parker find a new home — what's next?
Check out where the top WNBA title odds contenders sit as the offseason continues to unfold.
2023 WNBA championship odds
| Team | WNBA Odds |
|---|---|
 Las Vegas Aces |
+145 |
 New York Liberty |
+280 |
 Washington Mystics |
+700 |
 Seattle Storm |
+1,400 |
 Phoenix Mercury |
+1,400 |
 Connecticut Sun |
+1,600 |
 Chicago Sky |
+2,100 |
 Dallas Wings |
+2,100 |
 Minnesota Lynx |
+2,300 |
 Atlanta Dream |
+3,500 |
 Los Angeles Sparks |
+5,000 |
 Indiana Fever |
+8,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook, January 29, 2023.
WNBA championship favorites
Las Vegas Aces (+145)
You can't become complacent and expect to stay on top. Candace Parker and the Las Vegas Aces agreed to a deal that brings the two-time champ to the desert.
The Aces punctuated a season of relatively undisturbed excellence with a title in September, making their high-profile hiring of former WNBA All-Star and San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon look wise in retrospect.
Hammon overhauled the Aces offense, emphasizing the 3-pointer and getting a breakout, near-MVP season from Kelsey Plum in addition to a career year from Jackie Young, and an actual MVP season from A'ja Wilson. Eventual Finals MVP Chelsea Gray then caught fire in the second half of the season, giving the Aces an insurmountable attack.
Vegas will return its entire core for the expanded 2023 season and will be even more dangerous with Parker in the fold.
New York Liberty (+280)
Sabrina Ionescu was already leading a revival in New York. Ionescu, the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, made a quick charge up the WNBA hierarchy, becoming one of the league's truly elite last season.
And apparently, the Liberty front office sensed they were ready to win now after last season's playoff berth. They started their offseason with a grand-slam trade, acquiring 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones for pennies on the dollar from Connecticut.
The move pairs Jones, a top-tier frontcourt threat, with likely the best guard in the league in Ionescu — a dynamite inside-outside presence that's seen the Liberty leapfrog several contenders to sit No. 2 on the odds board.
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Washington Mystics (+700)
The Mystics sported the WNBA's best defense by rating last season, and with former two-time MVP Elena Delle-Donne back in the fold for another season along with Ariel Atkins and Natasha Cloud, they'll have a winning foundation regardless of free agency's outcome.
With just one starter (Alysha Clark) on the open market, the Mystics can make moves in the margins this offseason, looking to improve an offense that ranked league-average last season, with just three players scoring in double-figures.
In either case, they won't have to weather the impending uncertainty teams like the Seattle Storm and Chicago Sky are facing, with the offseason decisions of Breanna Stewart and Candace Parker, respectively, looming
Understanding WNBA championship odds
Sportsbooks will post odds for the WNBA Finals shortly after the previous season's conclusion. These odds are constantly adjusted throughout the offseason as players switch teams or are injured. Once the regular season begins (May), title odds will change daily as teams win and lose games and more roster changes occur. Sportsbooks will also adjust the WNBA odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.
WNBA Championship odds will usually look like this:
- Phoenix Mercury +300
This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $300 if the Mercury win the WNBA title. If it's close to the end of the season and the WNBA has a particularly dominant team, you might see a minus sign (-) ahead of its odds.
- Chicago Sky -380
This means you have to bet $380 to win $100 on a Sky championship.
Above we have posted the American odds for the WNBA championship. However, these are easy to convert to decimal odds or fractional odds with our odds converter tool. And don't forget to check out our WNBA forum if you're interested in chatting with other basketball bettors about WNBA odds.
WNBA Championship odds trends
Here are some trends to keep in mind when betting on WNBA championship futures:
- The Western Conference has won eight of the past 10 WNBA championships, however the past four have been evenly split.
- The No. 1 overall seed has gone on to win the title in six of the past 10 seasons.
- The Houston Comets, Seattle Storm, and Minnesota Lynx are tied for most all-time WNBA Championships with four apiece.
- No team has repeated as WNBA champs since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002.
Past WNBA Finals winners
| Season | WNBA Finals winner | Runner up |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Las Vegas Aces | Connecticut Sun |
| 2021 | Chicago Sky | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2020 | Seattle Storm | Las Vegas Aces |
| 2019 | Washington Mystics | Connecticut Sun |
| 2018 | Seattle Storm | Minnesota Lynx |
| 2017 | Minnesota Lynx | Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2016 | Los Angeles Sparks | Minnesota Lynx |
| 2015 | Minnesota Lynx | Indiana Fever |
| 2014 | Phoenix Mercury | Chicago Sky |
| 2013 | Minnesota Lynx | Atlanta Dream |
Teams with the most WNBA Championships
Minnesota, Houston, and Seattle are tied atop the all-time WNBA Championship tally with four apiece, while three more teams follow closely with three each.
Despite their early dominance, the Comets folded during the 2008 recession and were disbanded when the league was unable to find new ownership.
| Team | WNBA Championships | WNBA Finals appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Lynx | 4 | 6 |
| Houston Comets | 4 | 4 |
| Seattle Storm | 4 | 4 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | 3 | 5 |
| Detroit Shock (Dallas Wings) | 3 | 4 |
| Phoenix Mercury | 3 | 4 |
WNBA Championship Odds FAQ
The Las Vegas Aces won the 2022 WNBA championship.
The 2023 WNBA schedule has yet to be released, but the Finals typically begin in early-mid September.
The Houston Comets, Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm have all won four titles, most all-time.
The Houston Comets four-peated as champs in the WNBA's first four seasons (1997-200), while the L.A. Sparks also went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. Despite numerous teams winning two in three seasons, none has gone back-to-back since.
