WNBA lines have only been available for a relatively short period of time, as the league itself is quite young.
WNBA lines that have been handicapped by gamblers who have been studying WNBA odds from the beginning have witnessed the introduction and folding of numerous teams as the league has evolved. Expansion teams are often some of the most challenging teams to handicap in any sport, so these developments must be monitored carefully as you handicap the WNBA lines.
Nba lines have included a variety of new teams over the years. For instance, the Detroit Shock, Washington Mystics, Minnesota Lynx, Orlando Miracle, Indiana Fever, Seattle Storm, Miami Sol, and Portland Fire are all teams that have been introduced into the WNBA after the league’s birth. Gamblers of the WNBA odds therefore have had to accommodate these teams and learn to handicap the WNBA lines for new teams very quickly. So much change in the league makes it particularly exciting, yet handicappers of the WNBA lines know that expansion teams are often the most difficult to handicap. WNBA lines for expansion teams can be particularly confusing because one obviously must evaluate a team without any background knowledge about how well the players can perform together. Consequently, an analysis of the WNBA odds naturally focuses on handicapping each player individually and then aggregating those evaluations to arrive at an overall assessment of a team’s potential to cover WNBA lines. However, the problem with this approach to the WNBA lines is that teams need chemistry to play well, as basketball is a genuinely team sport. Therefore, regardless of how talented the players on an expansion team seem to be, most handicappers of the WNBA lines reasonably assume that expansion teams will require at least several seasons before they can compete with the top teams.
Besides the introduction of expansion teams, there have also been other changes within the WNBA that must be taken into account as you analyze the WNBA lines. For instance, some teams have folded, such as the Charlotte Sting, which disbanded and had its players scattered around the league in a dispersal draft in January 2007. When this situation occurs you obviously must consider just how these players will adapt to their new teams and impact the WNBA lines. Also, there have been numerous changes in management among the WNBA squads and these changes should also impact your evaluation of WNBA odds. There is little question that certain team franchise owners in professional sports are primarily interested in winning, while other owners are mostly interested in profit. By assessing the goals of a team’s new management you can often make fairly accurate predictions about a team’s future that will be useful as you handicap the WNBA lines.