Karl Rasmussen
With the 2022 WNBA season freshly wrapped up, the Las Vegas Aces are riding the high of their championship win. For bettors, the focus is already turning toward the 2023 campaign. The 2022 WNBA Championship featured the Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun, with the Aces claiming the series in four games with a 3-1 rout. While the 2023 campaign is still quite a bit away, bettors can take advantage of the early window and get some strong value on WNBA Championship bets with our WNBA betting tips and tricks.
The WNBA is set to expand its regular season from 36 games to 40 ahead of the 2023 season. While that may not have a major impact on championship odds, it’s an important distinction to note ahead of the campaign. Four extra games could be highly decisive in the outcome of the last few playoff spots. With only 12 teams in the league, eight of which make the playoffs, adding four games to the schedule could see some surprise squads make a late-season playoff push. Before we dive in, take a look at some of the best basketball betting sites out there.
2023 WNBA Championship Odds
 | Odds To Win 2023 WNBA Championship |
| Las Vegas Aces | +200 |
| Connecticut Sun | +350 |
| Seattle Storm | +600 |
| Chicago Sky | +650 |
| New York Liberty | +1000 |
| Washington Mystics | +1700 |
| Dallas Wings | +1700 |
| Phoenix Mercury | +1700 |
| Minnesota Lynx | +4000 |
| Atlanta Dream | +4000 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | +5000 |
| Indiana Fever | +10000 |
Early on, the Las Vegas Aces are once again the betting favorites at (+200), with the Connecticut Sun not far behind at (+350) indicating the sportsbooks are predicting a repeat of this year’s WNBA Finals matchup. Other possible contenders include the Seattle Storm (+600) and the Chicago Sky (+650) both of whom advanced as far as the Conference Finals in 2022. While plenty can change during the WNBA offseason, the books are currently predicting a similar outcome in 2023 to what fans were privy to this year. That’s not all too surprising, however, and barring some major moves in free agency or some big trades, it wouldn’t be a shock to see next season play out in a similar fashion to this year, at least in regards to the top teams.
Aces can repeat in 2023
If there’s any team in the WNBA geared up to make another run at the 2023 WNBA Finals, it’s the Aces. The team is loaded from top to bottom and scarcely has any weaknesses. Maintaining their key pieces in the offseason will be important, but the current makeup of their roster is second to none across the league. That was made clear by their championship run in 2022, and they’ll look to defend their title once again next season.
The star of the Aces is undoubtedly reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. The frontcourt superstar is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, able to score from anywhere on the floor while also providing top-tier defense. Wilson is the heart and soul of the Aces, and her work on both ends is crucial to their success. In 2022, Wilson made her fourth All-Star Game and averaged 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals. Wilson added a 3-point shot to her arsenal in 2022, knocking down 0.9 per game at a 37.3 percent clip. In her previous four seasons, Wilson had attempted a total of two 3-point shots.
Wilson isn’t the only star in Las Vegas, however. The team also has reigning All-Star Game MVP Kelsey Plum, as well as fellow All-Stars in Dearica Hamby, Jackie Young, and All-Star snub Chelsea Gray. Plum was one of the best 3-point shooters in the WNBA last season. She averaged 20.2 points per game including 3.1 3-pointers, which she converted at a remarkable 42 percent clip.
The Aces as a whole averaged 90.4 points per game in 2022, which ranked first in the WNBA by a wide margin. The next highest-scoring team, the Chicago Sky, averaged 86.3 points. Their 36.1 percent mark from 3-point range also topped the league. The Aces’ 26-10 regular season record was tied with the Sky for best in the league, too. Defensively, Las Vegas can stand to improve in terms of the number of points they surrender. Last year, Vegas allowed 84.1 points per game, which was fourth most in the league. While their surplus of offensive talent enables them to get away with that more often than not, they’d surely like to buff up that area if they want to make another championship run. In particular, the Aces could stand to improve their perimeter defense. Last year, the Aces allowed opponents to hit 35.6 percent of their 3-pointers, which was third-worst in the league.
Another key reason the Aces can continue their upwards trajectory in the league is that they are still a relatively young team. Chelsea Gray turns 30 this season, but the rest of their core remains 28 or younger, meaning they are still right in their prime and won’t be slowing down just yet. That certainly bodes well for the Aces ahead of the lengthened 40-game season.
2023 WNBA Finals Pick
The Las Vegas Aces are (+200) favorites to win the WNBA Finals next year for a reason, and while those aren’t high odds for a championship future, I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting my money on any other team to take home the title next year. The Aces are simply too well-equipped for another title run. The Connecticut Sun are a solid choice at (+350) but in the end, barring a major offseason move, the Aces will enter the 2023 season as the best team in the league. For how easily the Aces disposed of teams in the WNBA Playoffs this year, (+200) is a solid value for the upcoming campaign, and that’s my favorite bet ahead of the 2023 WNBA season.
Before you get in on the WNBA Futures action, make sure to take a look at our top sportsbook reviews in order to find the one that best suits you.
