Oddsmakers put up a multitude of numbers on WNBA basketball contests each night but only a handful are worth putting money on. A smart bettor has to be selective in identifying the best WNBA picks. Forced picks are made by casual bettors who simply want action, often on a TV game as they want to have a financial rooting interest. One can't win money over the long haul with that approach. The best picks are put together by a smaller group of serious players, such as wise guys, professional sports bettors, or sharps. These picks usually have multiple reasoning behind them, such as WNBA matchup angles on the court or unique situations involving scheduling, rivalries, or divisional battles.
Why Use Free WNBA Best Picks
The key in isolating the best picks is finding the reasons why. Not all games are equal in importance to teams, just as not all betting numbers are accurate. Overall, the oddsmakers do a very good job posting numbers. They combine basic team stats, home/road play, and situations along with a sense of what the majority of bettors think about a game. For instance, if the best team in the WNBA is playing one of the worst, the top team is likely to be around a double-digit favorite, such as -10 or -13.5. They may make minor adjustments before posting. If the favorite is coming off a rare embarrassing loss, they may bump it from -13.5 to -15, for example. It's the job of the serious sports handicapper to interpret the data and make their own number to see if it's similar. And it all begins with accruing information, which is the starting point for finding the best picks. Don't forget if you need help with your WNBA picks to check out my daily updated WNBA computer picks. They are a great resource to help you make better WNBA selections.
Betting Value in Free WNBA Best Picks
The more deviation with your line from the oddsmaker's actual number, the better the pick becomes. If your research finds the underdog should be +6 and instead it's +9, there is excellent betting value in backing the dog. In addition, every game has more posted betting lines than just the point spread. Typical odds on one WNBA game might read, "Las Vegas -8, 162, ML -450, +370." That means Las Vegas is an 8-point favorite on the point spread, with a total number of points scored by both teams of 163. The WNBA moneyline is -450 on the favorite and +380 on the underdog. Moneyline ignores the point spread entirely, meaning you can simply wager on who wins the game. In that example, you can lay $450 on Las Vegas to win the game to collect an addition $100. That's not, however, very good wagering value as upsets happen all the time. If you've found the underdog plays excellent defense and has a decent chance to keep a low-scoring game close, taking a shot with the dog to pull the upset has value. That would be laying $50 or $100 to win $190 or $380. A loss wouldn't dent your betting bankroll that much, while an upset would be an excellent payday.
Wunderdog Free WNBA Basketball Best Picks
There are all kinds of subtle pieces of game-day information available that are overlooked by most bettors. It takes work to dig up these nuggets, but it's worth the effort if you're serious about cashing betting tickets. With over two decades in the industry, I know what to look for and how to apply that information to the odds to identify the best WNBA picks for tonight's games. I can tell when the oddsmaker made a good number, a great number, or a weak line. My best picks contain not just the winning play but also the reasons why, often with multiple reasons to support it.
Free WNBA Best Picks vs. Premium Picks
Free WNBA Best Picks Pros:
- A seasoned betting professional is doing all the work
- The best picks graded by a documented winner
- Organizing and streamlining the essential winning information
Free WNBA Best Picks Cons:
- Plays on every game, as the best handicappers select a few choice odds
- Too many moneyline favorites
- Many self-proclaimed "experts" bury their won/lost/push records
Premium Free WNBA Best Picks Pros:
- There's often more value with props, totals, and moneyline underdogs
- Helps activate your critical thinking on the essential handicapping mechanics
- Premium selections can have exclusive information that is difficult to find
Premium Free WNBA Best Picks Cons:
- Exaggerated winning percentages or excessive hype
- A lack of wagering money management. "Doubling-up" is desperation, not a betting strategy
- Paid selections from an unreliable service can wreck your betting budget quickly
How To Win With Free WNBA Best Picks
By knowing your WNBA stats, the league, and the odds. Gather and absorb as much information as you can to evaluate the game and the oddsmaking numbers. Betting discipline is another key component of successful wagering. Betting discipline is placing a similar amount on each game, such as 3%, 4%, or 5% of your bankroll. Putting 4% on one game and 40% on another because you believe it's a far superior play may seem right before the game but it isn't. By the end of the week or month, a shortage of wagering money management will be evident with a shrinking bankroll. Be confident in understanding why you're backing the best pick AND in putting the right amount on the contest. Successful wagering is not a sprint but a marathon - to cross the finish at the end of the WNBA season with more money than when you started.
Best Free WNBA Basketball Picks Betting Strategy
Coaching History
The best coaches in all sports are able to squeeze a point or more by making important moves. In basketball, this encompasses getting players to hustle on defense, establishing specific roles for players, utilizing time-outs, and knowing when to give starters a breather. Some of these things are visible during a game while others happen in practice. As a handicapper, it's helpful to read up on a WNBA coach's background. See what college or pro coach they worked alongside. Examine their past records as head coach, both straight up and against the spread. If a team has a history of going Over the total, such as streaks of 10-2 or 20-13, that's a sign that this coach might be weak at improving team defense. Also, examine the spread records of coaches. You'll find some coaches lead teams that have winning ATS records each year or season runs such as 15-9 ATS or 20-12 ATS. Squeezing out a few extra points each game can help deliver more wins - both straight up and against the spread.
Look-Ahead Spots
This is a part of situational sports handicapping. It refers to a team that has a big game on deck and might be looking ahead to that showdown. They may not give as strong an effort in tonight's game. During one WNBA season, Seattle and Las Vegas were two of the four best teams in the league. Seattle was on the road at Indiana before facing Las Vegas. As a 17-point favorite, Seattle lost straight up at Indiana, 90-84, with one of its worse defensive efforts of the entire season. They clearly weren't focused on an Indiana squad that ended up with the second-worst record. Rivalry and revenge games are often look-ahead spots, as well. A team with a revenge game on deck can be less focused on the current game, especially if they're in the role of big favorite. Matchups and stats are essential to look at, but situations are, too, as not all games are equal in importance.
Team Defense
Approaches to team defense can be minimal, mediocre, or excellent. This comes from a combination of the players and the coaching staff. Some players have more strengths on defense than offense, such a shot-blocking ability, and quickness to increase steals or to clog passing lanes. Coaches play a role, too, getting players to rotate defensively to help on double-teams or just pure hustle at the defensive end. This shows up in sortable team stat categories such as points allowed, field goal shooting, and 3-point defense. Teams that are high on the list most definitely have a coach who is demanding defense all game long with a collection of players who hustle and buy into the defensive system. This helps identify in totals, or Over/Under, wagering. In one WNBA campaign, the Connecticut Sun led the league in points allowed (69.6 points per game) and defensive rating (91.7). They went 24-13 Under the total. The next season, Washington led the WNBA in points allowed (75.9 points per game) and defensive rating (96). They went 23-15 Under. Not all of their games went Under, but identifying teams with strong all-around defense helps astute handicappers to pick matchups and situations that are more likely to favor a low-scoring affair.
Free WNBA Best Picks Subscription
Breaking down all the WNBA stats, angles, matchups, look-ahead spots, and oddsmaker numbers is what I do all week long to identify soft odds and winning opportunities. And I've been able to do it successfully for over two decades. It's not about luck, but about putting in the effort while developing an experienced eye and clear handicapping thinking. You can access that insight by signing up for my WNBA best picks for free via a regular subscription service. Sports handicapping is a results-oriented endeavor. And the results are simple - cashing winning tickets!