Women’s pro basketball bettors love the Las Vegas Aces to win the 2020 WNBA Championship at 5/2 odds, according to a recent update by CircaSports. The defending champion Washington Mystics are 5/1 odds to repeat as WNBA champions.
The WNBA season usually tips off in late May, but this season has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. WNBA officials have yet to determine when their season will begin. When it does, the Las Vegas Aces (led by A’ja Wilson) will be the consensus team to beat at 5/2 odds.
The Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun are right behind the Mystics. The Sparks and Sun are both at 6/1 odds to win the WNBA championship. The Sun lost in the 2019 WNBA Finals to the Mystics last October.
History might be against the Mystics. The WNBA hasn’t seen a back-to-back champion since 2002.
2020 WNBA Championship Odds
Las Vegas Aces 5/2
Washington Mystics 5/1
Los Angeles Sparks 6/1
Connecticut Sun 6/1
Seattle Storm 7/1
Phoenix Mercury 8/1
Chicago Sky 25/1
New York Liberty 40/1
Indiana Fever 40/1
Minnesota Lynx 40/1
Atlanta Dream 100/1
Dallas Wings 100/1
Meanwhile, for all of you pipe dreamers, lock in the Atlanta Dream at 100/1 odds as the long shot on the board. The Dallas Wings are also at 100/1 odds, and are expected to jockey with the Dream as the worst team in the WNBA.
Welcome to NYC, Sabrina Ionescu
The New York Liberty saw their odds bump from 70/1 to 40/1 once they landed Sabrina Ionescu in the 2020 WNBA Draft with the #1 overall pick.
Ionescu returned to Oregon for her senior season even though she could have skipped it because she met the minimum age requirement for the WNBA. Ionescu felt deeply committed to her school, teammates, and coaching staff. She returned to Eugene for one last crack at a March Madness victory.
Ionescu missed out on competing for a national championship with the Lady Ducks when the NCAA canceled 2020 March Madness.
Ionescu now heads to the largest media market in the world to help rebuild the New York Liberty. The Liberty have never won a WNBA championship. They appeared in the WNBA Finals four times in their first six seasons, but whiffed each time. The Liberty haven’t returned to the finals since 2002. Hopefully, Ionescu can turn around the franchise and restore it to its winning ways.
When Will WNBA Season Begin?
The WNBA season, consisting of a 34-game schedule, typically begins when the NBA completes the playoffs. The WNBA Finals generally wrap up in early October.
The 2020 WNBA season had a built-in break to allow players to participate in the Summer Olympics. They expected to declare a champion by the end of October. However, with this year’s season delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials are exploring options like a shortened regular season.
“It may be too late to play our full season at some point,” said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “We’re probably going to come up on that by early July. But as we look at some of the more realistic scenarios of the number of games we could get in with a competitive playoff structure, you could get later in the summer as a start time. And you could go to different formats. I think our players are open to that as well.”
The WNBA also explored all teams playing in a single city. Obviously, they’ll have to play games without fans wherever they end up.
WNBA History: No Repeat Champs Since 2002
At the onset of the WNBA, the Houston Comets dominated from the opening tip of the first game. The Comets won four straight WNBA titles between 1997 and 2000. The unfortunate New York Liberty were runner-ups thrice during the Comets’ reign.
The Los Angeles Sparks won consecutive titles in 2001 and 2002, making them the most recent back-to-back winner in WNBA history. The New York Liberty were the runner up once again in 2002.
All WNBA Champions
2019 Washington Mystics
2018 Seattle Storm
2017 Minnesota Lynx
2016 Los Angeles Sparks
2015 Minnesota Lynx
2014 Phoenix Mercury
2013 Minnesota Lynx
2012 Indiana Fever
2011 Minnesota Lynx
2010 Seattle Storm
2009 Phoenix Mercury
2008 Detroit Shocks
2007 Phoenix Mercury
2006 Detroit Shock
2005 Sacramento Monarchs
2004 Seattle Storm
2003 Detroit Shock
2001-02 Los Angeles Sparks (2)
1997-2000 Houston Comets (4)
The New York Liberty have yet to win a WNBA Championship despite four runner-up finishes. Ionescu has a ton of work cut out for her, but if anyone can single-handedly elevate a team, it’s Sabrina.
