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WNBA season tips off today with Liberty favored and some intriguing futures bets to consider

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WNBA season tips off today with Liberty favored and some intriguing futures bets to consider

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As a courtesy to everyone out there, I want to give you this quick note: The WNBA starts today. I’m sure that everyone has been anxiously awaiting the return of the league and knew that, but just in case, I wanted to give you a heads up. I love the league for a ton of reasons, but one of them is that I find good value on teams and games. I’m going to share some thoughts on some futures for this year. I’ll have my first official play tomorrow.

Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner, presents the Most Valuable Player award to A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces after their Game 4 win in the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on Oct. 10, 2025. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Champion

I don’t have an overwhelming feeling about any team in particular to win the championship, but there are some clear favorites. The Aces have won three of the past four and have the best player in the league. The New York Liberty are the favorite at +220, and it makes total sense with Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. The Fever are +450 after making it to the semifinals last season without Caitlin Clark. I don’t see them repeating that success, but it is certainly possible. They are a deep team.

For value, I would lean to the Minnesota Lynx, the best team from last season at +800. But they’ve lost a ton of depth. The Fever are my next favorite with their depth and continuity. The Liberty are a good value, though.

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CAITLIN CLARK’S FEVER MAKE SEVERAL KEY OFFSEASON SIGNINGS IN CHAMPIONSHIP PURSUIT

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays during the first half against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 25, 2026. (John Jones-Imagn Images)

Win Totals

The Chicago Sky stand out to me as potentially the worst franchise in all of the WNBA. This team is going to be decent, but I have a lot of questions about where the offense will come from. They have a lot of veterans — DiJonai Carrington, Skylar Diggins, Courtney Vandersloot and Natasha Cloud. At this point in their careers, most of them are known for defense over offense. I like the under 19.5 on them.

The Los Angeles Sparks went 21-23 last season and should improve this year. They have Cameron Brink for a full season, and Nneka Ogwumike returning. Kelsey Plum proved she could carry the scoring load for the team. She is one of the more reliable scorers in the league. I do have some questions about their depth, but I like the over 25.5.

AZZI FUDD QUESTIONS WNBA REFS BEFORE EVEN PLAYING A REGULAR-SEASON GAME AS A DALLAS WINGS ROOKIE

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The Dallas Wings are probably my favorite bet this season. I expect them to improve significantly after going 10-34 last season. They got the No. 1 overall pick and took Azzi Fudd to pair with Paige Bueckers. The UConn duo should be elite this year. As a third scorer, Arike Ogunbowale is one of the best options in the league. I love the Alanna Smith signing. She does a bit of everything, from scoring to rebounding and defense. I’ll take the over 22.5.

The WNBA logo is displayed on the court before a game between the Connecticut Sun and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 25, 2025. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Awards

A’ja Wilson is a beast on defense, and at +250 I think we still have some good value on the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson has won three of the past four, tying Alanna Smith last year. Napheesa Collier is the other winner. Cameron Brink is a great value at +1200. She has a great rim presence and is athletic enough to switch on a lot of positions.

Fudd is listed as the second favorite for Rookie of the Year. I could see her not winning because she is likely to be a second or third option on her team. My guess is that Fudd won’t get enough credit for the Wings’ improvement to warrant winning. I like Lauren Betts at +700. She will be an offensive force for the Mystics. Washington is not a good team, but that means Betts will probably get more run.

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Last little note: I’ll sprinkle Bueckers MVP at +1400. She is going to be the focal point of her team, and they will be much improved. Now, with more talent around her, she is likely to lead them to the playoffs. Clark is probably not going to play enough, and Wilson may suffer from voter fatigue. I like the odds on her.

Let’s get down to the season. Remember, all WNBA tickets cash the same as any other sport.

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For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024 

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Wizards select AJ Dybantsa first overall in 2026 NBA Draft

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Wizards select AJ Dybantsa first overall in 2026 NBA Draft

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As expected, the Washington Wizards have begun the 2026 NBA Draft by selecting BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick. 

In a draft class loaded with “cant-miss prospects,” Dybantsa stood out above the rest, as the 6-foot-9, 217-pound forward put on a show with the Cougars in his one and only collegiate season. 

Dybantsa averaged 25.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 51% from the field for BYU. He became the fifth Division-1 player in the last 40 seasons to average at least 25 points while shooting 50% from the field in a single season. 

This is a breaking news story. More to come…

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Dodgers game to start 30 minutes late; give updates on Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing

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Dodgers game to start 30 minutes late; give updates on Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is planning for right fielder Kyle Tucker to be out for the rest of the series against the Minnesota Twins, after he left Monday’s game with low back spasms.

Roberts hopes to write Tucker into the lineup Friday, when the Dodgers open a three-game series in San Diego, after three days off, plus most of the game Monday.

“Hopefully he [can take] advantage of this, obviously to get right, but also kind of a mental reset,” Roberts said. “Hopefully the four days will suffice.”

Tucker, who said he felt a little better Tuesday but still sore, especially when rotating, is “pretty confident” that he’ll be able to avoid the injured list. And if he can take swings on Wednesday, he’ll probably be on track for that Friday return.

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“But if he doesn’t, then we’ll have probably a tougher decision on Friday,” Roberts said.

Tucker, who has a .707 on-base-plus-slugging-percentage this season, has had a slow offensive start to his Dodgers’ tenure. He wasn’t ready to make any declarations about the potential benefits of time off to reset.

“Maybe,” he said. “We’ll see after I get back. We’ll see how that goes.”

The news on catcher Dalton Rushing, who exited Monday’s game to rule out a concussion, was more straightforward.

Rushing hadn’t yet gone through the second round of concussion testing needed to clear him to play when Roberts addressed the media Tuesday afternoon. But Rushing had told Roberts he was ready to play.

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“That doesn’t carry too much weight until I hear from the medical staff,” Roberts said. “But it is good to know that he said he’s good to go. My hope is that he’ll be available off the bench in some capacity.”

As a downpour hammered the tarped field early Tuesday evening, it was unclear when exactly the Dodgers would be playing. But despite plenty of rain in the forecast Tuesday evening, the teams and Major League Baseball identified a window for the game.

The Twins announced an estimated 5:05 p.m. PDT first pitch, representing a 25-minute rain delay.

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Wyndham Clark pens emotional message after winning second US Open in hostile territory

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Wyndham Clark pens emotional message after winning second US Open in hostile territory

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Wyndham Clark reflected on winning what was his second U.S. Open with an emotional message filled with appreciation.

Clark went wire-to-wire at Shinnecock Hills to become the 24th player to win at least two U.S. Opens in their career after beating fellow American Sam Burns by one shot. The 32-year-old’s first U.S. Open title came in 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club, another one-shot victory, where he got the best of runner-up Rory McIlroy.

“I’m not sure I’ve found the words yet. If I’m being honest, last year wasn’t filled with many highs. There were a lot more questions than answers, a lot more frustration than celebration, and plenty of moments that tested my belief in myself,” Clark’s note on X began.

Wyndham Clark of the United States looks on after winning the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 21, 2026, in Southampton, New York. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

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WYNDHAM CLARK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LOVED, BUT HE DOES HAVE TO BE RESPECTED AFTER US OPEN TRIUMPH AT SHINNECOCK

“This game can be incredibly humbling. It doesn’t owe you anything, and sometimes the only thing you can do is keep showing up and trust that the work will eventually pay off. That’s why this week means so much. To the fans, thank you for making this championship what it is. New York crowds are passionate, honest, and demanding. Whether you were pulling for me or not, you created an atmosphere I’ll never forget and pushed all of us to compete at our best.

“Thank you to the USGA, the members of Shinnecock Hills, the volunteers, and every person behind the scenes who made this week so special. This place is everything a U.S. Open should be, and I’m incredibly honored to have my name connected to it forever.

“To my team, family, friends, and sponsors, thank you for staying in my corner through the difficult stretches. Thank you for believing in me on the days when believing wasn’t easy. This trophy means more because of the road it took to get here. The setbacks, the doubts, and the hard days all make this moment that much sweeter. I’ll never forget this week, this place, and what it feels like to stand here as a two-time U.S. Open Champion. Forever grateful.”

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NEW YORK GOLF FANS DESERVE TO BE CALLED OUT, SAM BURNS HAS A GOOD CRY, WYNDHAM CLARK’S BEST SHOT AT SHINNECOCK

Wyndham Clark celebrates with his caddie, David Pelekoudas, on the 18th green during the final round of the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 21, 2026, in Southampton, New York. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Clark was far from the fan favorite during Sunday’s final round at Shinnecock. The majority of fans on the Long Island, New York property appeared to be pulling against the Colorado native with countless shouts for his golf ball to find bunkers and minor roars after each of his five bogeys during the final round.

Wyndham Clark celebrates with his girlfriend Emily Tanner after winning the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour)

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Clark made a pair of public mistakes during the 2025 PGA Tour season. During the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship, he threw his driver through an advertisement sign behind a tee box. A month later, after missing the cut at Oakmont in the 2025 U.S. Open, he ripped apart two lockers inside the clubhouse and was barred by the historic club in the following days.

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