There was a big shake-up in the WNBA this week with a blockbuster three-team trade reshuffling some of the league’s biggest stars. The Las Vegas Aces landed six-time All-Star Jewell Loyd from the Seattle Storm while sending three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks. Meanwhile, the Storm walked away with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, forward Li Yueru from the Sparks, and a 2026 first-round pick from the Aces.
This deal made history, marking the first time two former No. 1 overall draft picks were swapped in the same trade. The trade marked a huge shift in the WNBA futures market.
The Aces initially opened as the second favorite to win the championship at +280 on BetMGM, trailing only the defending champion New York Liberty at +185. After adding Loyd, the Aces saw their odds shortened to +250.
However, the biggest leap came from the Sparks. Their title odds skyrocketed from a longshot at +12500 before acquiring Plum to a much more competitive +3500 after the trade. Plum's arrival pairs one of the league's best shooters with second-year forward Camron Brink, the No. 2 overall pick last season. Brink, who missed most of her rookie campaign with a torn ACL, is poised for a comeback that could make Los Angeles a legitimate contender.
Things aren’t looking quite as sunny for Seattle, whose odds plummeted from +1400 to +4000 after parting ways with Loyd, arguably their top player.
While Las Vegas sits second in ticket share at BetMGM, securing 10.2% of bets and 8.3% of the handle, Indiana Fever still leads the way thanks to the Caitlin Clark frenzy, pulling in a whopping 44.4% of tickets and 63.3% of the handle. The Sparks might be lagging in ticket volume but remain BetMGM's second-biggest liability to win it all this season—a testament to just how impactful Plum's presence might be.
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