Thanks to the influx of extraordinary young talent, the popularity of the WNBA is blowing up. Unsurprisingly, the betting markets are too. Showing respect to the wonderful women’s game, this gambler will occasionally dip his toe in the WNBA wagering waters.
The pick — SGP: Alyssa Thomas 5+ assists, Kelsey Plum UNDER 4.5 assists (+115, BetMGM)
- BetMGM offer: $1500 in Bonus Bets paid back
Indulge in a couple of adult beverages, take a midnight stroll through any mammoth casino on the Las Vegas Strip and chances are you’ll get lost. Tequila-infused, this late-night wanderer knows all too well.
A wrong turn inside the Bellagio’s underbelly turned into a multi-minute ordeal. Hey, when your compass is not functioning due to considerable consumption, disorientation happens — especially when trying to escape a labyrinth.
Mentally, similarly winded courses occur when sorting through daily bet offerings. What’s avoidable? What’s playable? Which wager won’t push this gambler toward the bottle?
After exploring the WNBA card on a light Friday, one wager — taking place in Sin City appropriately enough — enticed an investment. For my sake, hopefully it won’t lead me astray.
Here’s my breakdown of legs in Sun vs. Aces.
Alyssa Thomas 5+ assists. Thomas is the WNBA’s version of the Knicks’ Josh Hart. She’s a buffet of across-the-board betting goodness. Focusing on assists, the Sun standout has dished out five or more dimes in 13 of 14 games. If she just meets her 8.1 assists average, she’ll cruise past what’s required. The Aces are decent defensively, but not shutdown caliber. This season, they’ve given up the fifth-most assists per game (21.2). Honestly, this is the sweat-free leg.
Kelsey Plum UNDER 4.5 assists. As a scorer and distributor, the Aces star guard has serious skills. However, Connecticut presents a stiff challenge. No team surrenders fewer assists per game (18.4). Cashing the under in four of her last six contests, Plum likely won’t bear many fruits.
WNBA season record: 6-5, +2.15 units