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Seattle Storm high fives during the game against the Chicago Sky. Photo by Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images

WNBA best bets, expert picks for Fri. 8/16

Originally posted on Action Network | Last updated Aug 16, 2024 9:50 AM ET

It's another three-game slate in the W for Friday night and our experts have come prepared for each and every game that will tip off. In a couple of 7:30 p.m. ET starts, Jewell Loyd and the Seattle Storm pay a visit to Atlanta to take on the Dream. Meanwhile in Indiana, Caitlin Clark and the Fever will face the Phoenix Mercury who will be in their second matchup of a back-to-back.

Then at 9:30 p.m. ET, the Connecticut Sun will try to put their foot down in the city of Dallas to command a win over the Wings.

Before the games are officially underway tonight, our experts provide their WNBA best bets for Friday, Aug. 16. Take a look at their picks below!

Check out Yardbarker's betting hub for odds, picks, predictions and analysis — and start winning TODAY!

Michael Fiddle's Best Bet For Sun vs. Wings

Friday, Aug. 16

9:30 p.m. ET

ION

Sun -5.5 (BetMGM)

By Michael Fiddle

The Connecticut Sun are a team looking to make a leap into real title contention during the second half of the season. Right before the break they acquired Marina Mabrey via trade from the Sky, and both Thomas and Bonner were playing fantastic basketball. With one extra day for Alyssa Thomas after the Olympic break, and the rest of the team ramping up, lets take the Sun to cover the spread here.

The movement towards the over makes me think the Sun should be able to score more with increased spacing, but the spread hasn't moved. I'll use the indicator and instead of chase four points of steam in totals movement, take a remaining opening line on the spread.

Pick: Sun -5.5

Andrew O'Connor-Watts's Best Bet For Mercury vs. Fever

Friday, Aug. 16

7:30 p.m. ET

ION

Fever 1H -1.5 (DraftKings)

By Andrew O'Connor Watts

Post-Olympics, the idea was to fade teams with more Olympians as they are likely to be less rested than teams like the Fever, who didn’t have any representatives in Paris. That hasn’t seemed to matter much, with all three favorites (and teams with more Olympians than their opponents) covering the full game spread on Thursday. But the Mercury are on a back-to-back and travel to Indiana after their win in Chicago.

The Fever have also beaten the Mercury in both matchups this season, with one of those wins coming during the early part of the season in the middle of the Fever’s brutal schedule.

I like that trend to continue, but I’ll take Indiana in the first half as my model shows a bigger edge down to -2.5.

Pick: Fever 1H -1.5

Michael Fiddle's Best Bet For Storm vs. Dream

Friday, Aug. 16

7:30 p.m. ET

ION

Storm ML -300 (BetMGM)

By Michael Fiddle

This is a textbook market angle to situations where I am willing to pay some juice a play a ML. The Storm are a clear sharp side in the market, but the line has moved through numbers I do not want to chase. Instead of playing into the spread and needing Seattle to cover a longer number, I skip the points and take the money line. I often emphasize that bettors do not need to increase exposure because the price increases; instead decrease the reward. I would still risk anywhere from 0.5-1unit on a Seattle Storm ML. I would skip the bet if the number moves beyond -325, which is based on the current odds board and is not a randomly chosen price bump.