- The Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx are now co-favorites at +300 to win the WNBA Championship.
- Minnesota’s title price drifted to +300 from -120 last week after the eighth-seeded New York Liberty beat the Lynx 91-75.
- Las Vegas shortened to +300 from +650 after A’ja Wilson scored 38 points in a Game 1 rout of the Indiana Fever.
- Minnesota must win Tuesday’s Game 2 in Brooklyn or face a decisive Game 3 at home Thursday.
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Lynx are no longer alone at the top of the WNBA championship odds board, after a 91-75 Game 1 upset by the New York Liberty on Sunday pushed the Lynx’s title price out to +300, level with the three-time champion Las Vegas Aces.
A Finals Rematch Turns Upset
New York, seeded eighth, opened its best-of-three first-round series against Minnesota, the top seed, in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals and beat Minnesota 91-75 at Target Center on Sunday. Breanna Stewart carried the Liberty with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on 11-for-18 shooting.
New York shot 51% from the field and 52% from three as a team, while Minnesota shot just 42% from the field and 35% from deep. Nia Brodie’s 16 points and Kayla McBride’s six assists weren’t enough to offset the cold night from the arc.
Wilson And The Champs Answer
Las Vegas had no such trouble. A’ja Wilson went for 38 points and 16 rebounds in a 102-85 Aces win over the Indiana Fever, a 1-0 lead in that best-of-three set. The Golden State Valkyries handled the Dallas Wings 104-80 and the Atlanta Dream held off the Washington Mystics 92-77, so four of the eight playoff teams head into Game 2 already up a game.
The Board Catches Up
| Team | Odds | Implies |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Aces | +300 | 25.0% |
| Minnesota Lynx | +300 | 25.0% |
| Golden State Valkyries | +375 | 21.1% |
| Atlanta Dream | +425 | 19.0% |
| New York Liberty | +550 | 15.4% |
| Indiana Fever | +1600 | 5.9% |
| Washington Mystics | +12500 | 0.8% |
| Dallas Wings | +15000 | 0.7% |
Every Game 1 winner got cheaper to back and every Game 1 loser got more expensive on the board at USA gambling sites. Minnesota’s move is the sharpest: a team that was the lone odds-on favorite at -120 after clinching the top seed last week now shares the top line with Las Vegas in the sportsbooks futures odds. Backing the Lynx from here means clearing a true road game in Brooklyn before Minnesota gets another home date.
New York’s price fell by more than half, to +550 from +1300 last week, and the eighth seed now sits fifth on the board, ahead of three teams that finished above it in the standings. Indiana and Washington moved the other way after their own losses, both longer shots than they were a week ago.
Where The First Round Stands
The Lynx and Liberty play Game 2 Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with a decisive Game 3 back at Target Center on Thursday if Minnesota forces it. The Aces and Fever also play Game 2 on Tuesday, in Indianapolis. Every first-round series in the WNBA is best-of-three, so a second straight loss for either the Lynx or the Fever would end their season before the semifinals, which open Oct. 4.