3 Best WNBA Bets and Player Props for Saturday 5/17/25

Each day in the WNBA, we've got countless betting options.

You can ride with traditional markets such as spreads or totals or bet on which players will erupt via the player-prop markets.

Which bets stand out for tonight's slate?

Let's run through the top options in FanDuel Sportsbook's WNBA betting odds, leaning on advanced stats from the WNBA to help us find an edge in the market.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

WNBA Betting Picks and Props for Tonight

Aces at Liberty

Chelsea Gray Over 5.5 Assists (+110)

The WNBA's first Saturday slate of 2025 starts with a banger. At 1 p.m. ET, the defending champion New York Liberty host the 2022 and 2023 champion Las Vegas Aces. New York ended Vegas' hopes of a three-peat last fall, eliminating the Aces in the semifinals of the WNBA Playoffs. These squads enter 2025 as the top two favorites to win the title.

Talk about a season-opener.

New York beat Vegas in six of seven matchups last season, avenging their 2023 WNBA Finals loss. Even so, it's hard to lay points with either side considering both saw significant roster changes in the offseason. Instead, I'm looking to the prop market -- where Aces point guard Chelsea Gray's assist prop is set at just 5.5.

That's a fair number given Gray's 2024 struggles. The six-time All-Star missed the first month of the season with a foot injury and never looked like herself upon returning. She averaged just 5.1 assists per game between the regular season and playoffs despite posting a career-best 7.3 assists per game in 2023.

However, we started to see the old Gray in the postseason as she put up 6.2 assists and notched at least 6 dimes in five of six games. In her four games against the Liberty, Gray dished out 1, 7, 7, and 6 assists.

That carried over into the 3-on-3 Unrivaled League over the winter. There, Gray led all players with 5.4 assists per game -- 0.6 more than the next-closest player. She was one of just four players to average more than 4.5 assists per game. Gray carried her team to the league's inaugural title, scoring 38 points in the semis and dishing out 8 assists in the championship.

Based on her play both in the WNBA postseason and Unrivaled League, Gray is someone I want to buy back in on in the early part of the season. For the opener, we can do so by taking her over 5.5 assists -- a feat she accomplished in 29 of 40 regular season games back in 2023.

Sky at Fever

Kamilla Cardoso Over 8.5 Rebounds (-108)

The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever were the two teams I was most fascinated by entering the 2025 season, so I am delighted to see them face off in Game 1. But considering both have brought in a new coach and several new starters relative to 2024, I'm again more interested in the prop market.

I'll turn to the visitors, this time targeting Chicago's Kamilla Cardoso over 8.5 rebounds.

Though Cardoso had her rookie season delayed due to shoulder injury, we really saw the No. 3 overall pick shine once her minutes stabilized. In games Cardoso saw more than 25 minutes, she averaged 9.5 rebounds, snagging at least 9 boards 71% of the time (15/21 games). She grabbed 10 rebounds in all three games against the Fever where she got 25-plus minutes.

Assuming she's right around that 25-minute mark in her first game under new coach Tyler Marsh, Cardoso stands a good chance of going for at least 9 rebounds. That was the case across her three preseason games as she secured 8 (in 19 minutes), 7 (in 17 minutes), and 9 (in 25 minutes) rebounds.

Indiana didn't add much size in the offseason -- certainly not enough to contend with the 6-foot-7 Cardoso. That could spell trouble for a team that ranked just sixth in total rebound rate (50.9%) last season. Against the center position, the Fever allowed the fourth-most rebounds per game.

I expect a Caitlin Clark-centric team to run -- the Fever were second in pace last year -- and that should further boost Cardoso's rebound chances as it generates extra possessions. In my eyes, we're really just banking on Cardoso to see a healthy dose of playing time to cash this over.

Storm at Mercury

Storm Moneyline (-120)

The Phoenix Mercury were favored when these lines first dropped; it's since moved to essentially a pick'em. Even though we can't still get the Seattle Storm moneyline at plus odds, seeing the market move in their direction still has me bullish on them at -120.

Now, Seattle and Phoenix both saw significant offseason changes, too. The Storm parted ways with long-time guard Jewell Loyd, using the No. 2 pick they swapped her for to select the 19-year-old, 6-foot-6 Dominque Malonga. It remains to be seen how much the French phenom plays early on, but Seattle likely won't need her to take on a huge role right away. They still have a trio of All-Star-caliber players in Skylar Diggins, Ezi Magbegor, and Nneka Ogwumike.

When at least two of those three shared the floor without Loyd last season, the Storm outscored their opponents by 7 points per 100 possessions. When at least three of those three plus Gabby Williams were on the floor sans Jewell Loyd, said point differential crept to +8.4.

That's an elite mark, and it's why I give them the edge against the Mercury to open the season.

Phoenix underwent much more drastic changes in their offseason. Only one of the five players who started for them in the playoffs last year returned to the team in 2025. And while the players they brought in to replace them -- namely Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally -- are All League-caliber pieces, there's likely to be an adjustment period for Phoenix.

Add in that their only returning starter (Kahleah Copper) was held under her season scoring average in three of four games (all losses) to the Storm in 2024 and appears truly questionable today due to a back injury, and there's just a lot more to like with this Seattle side. Even at -120 odds, I'm happy to back the more talented, more cohesive unit.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.