Lynx and Aces Top 2026 WNBA Title Odds as Playoffs Open
The short version
- Lynx are +120 championship favorites (about 45 percent implied probability) after earning the No. 1 seed
- Aces are second at +500 and enter on a seven-game winning streak; A'ja Wilson is the heavy MVP favorite
- Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles are set for their first playoff action; Caitlin Clark returns for Indiana after missing the last postseason
- DraftKings lists Lynx-Liberty at -350 and Aces-Fever at -170, the tightest first-round series price
- Other Game 1s: Mystics at Dream and Wings at Valkyries
Minnesota enters as the betting favorite at +120, while defending champion Las Vegas carries a seven-game winning streak into the first round.
The 2026 WNBA playoffs begin with the Minnesota Lynx installed as the championship favorite. FanDuel lists the top-seeded Lynx at +120, an implied probability of about 45 percent, well clear of the rest of the field as they chase a record fifth league title.
The No. 3 seed Las Vegas Aces are next on the board at +500, roughly a 16 percent implied chance to repeat as champions. The second-seeded Golden State Valkyries sit at +550, around 15 percent, followed by the No. 4 Atlanta Dream at +650, an implied probability near 13 percent.
Minnesota is seeking its first championship since 2017, which would make the franchise the first in league history with five titles. The roster blends veterans with rookie Olivia Miles as it aims to end the near-decade drought.
Las Vegas enters the postseason on a seven-game winning streak, though that run did not come against any playoff teams. Reigning MVP A'ja Wilson, coming off her 13th game of the season with 30 or more points, is the heavy favorite to win her fifth MVP award.
The betting market sees the two favorites with clear edges on opposite sides of the bracket. Minnesota would meet either Atlanta or the Washington Mystics in the semifinals, while Las Vegas would draw Golden State or the Dallas Wings.
The first-round draws differ sharply. DraftKings prices the Lynx as -350 favorites to eliminate the No. 8 New York Liberty, an implied probability above 77 percent. New York has reached two of the last three WNBA Finals but dealt with injuries this season, including 13 games missed by Sabrina Ionescu and a precautionary absence for Breanna Stewart in the regular-season finale.
The Aces face the tougher opening test against the No. 6 Indiana Fever at -170, about a 63 percent implied probability — the shortest series price of the four first-round matchups. The Fever have Caitlin Clark available for this postseason run after she missed their previous one, and their +900 championship odds are the best among the bottom four seeds, an implied probability of 10 percent.
The other first-round series pit the No. 5 Mystics against the Dream and the No. 7 Wings against the Valkyries. Playoff debuts await for Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
Game 1 coverage begins Sunday, September 27, when the New York Liberty visit the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center at 2:00 PM EDT on ABC, followed by the Indiana Fever at the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena at 4:00 PM EDT, also on ABC.
Games to watch
