The Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream to win the 2026 WNBA Championship on Oct. 31. It was a hard-fought series that culminated in a 68-63 close game to finish it off. The series was characterized by terrific defense from both teams, as six of seven games were low-scoring.
What was so impressive was that this was only the second year for the Valkyries franchise, so winning a championship so early definitely opened some eyes. In Game 7, Golden State was led by forward Gabby Williams, who carried the team with 30 of their 68 points. That helped Williams capture WNBA MVP for her efforts.
My favorite part about this year’s WNBA Finals was that it was between two teams searching for their first championship, the Dream and Valkyries. To that end, let’s dive into prediction markets to review what went down.
One thing we can do at the end of the series is take a look at betting volume. Here’s how it broke down at Kalshi:
With over $50 million in trading volume, the 2026 WNBA Finals certainly captivated some traders at Kalshi. The biggest takeaway from the game-by-game volume is how much more volume there was in Game 6 ($12.6M) and Game 7 ($11.3M), especially since Games 1-5 averaged only $5.6M in volume.
The reason for that can come down to a couple of factors. For one, the series had definitely intensified, tied 3-2 and then 3-3 in those games. Traders love an elimination game when a team has a chance to win the championship. On top of that, the World Series had concluded on Oct. 28, which put more attention on the WNBA Finals. Needless to say, these figures establish how the WNBA continues to grow in popularity.
When taking a look at trending sports prediction markets, we see that there is not yet a market for the 2027 WNBA Champion. However, as the offseason unfolds and transactions are made, look for market movement to quickly follow. It’s a good idea to stay glued to the rumor mill to see who is expected to make big moves in free agency. That way, you can make an informed decision on your trade.
Even though we don’t yet have a market for the 2027 WNBA Champion, that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate on next year’s winner. I’m trying to think of a low-key sleeper who is likely to be priced as a longshot, giving you an opportunity to secure value.
My pick is the Indiana Fever, who went 28-16 this past season, but haven’t tasted postseason success just yet. But this is a team with Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell in their backcourt, so there’s a lot of talent here. They won’t be priced as top favorites like the Dream or Valkyries, giving you a chance for some value.
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