WNBA generating publicity for all the wrong reasons, but remains a viable betting option

The attention-starved WNBA had no trouble generating headlines during the offseason.

As usual, it was for all the wrong reasons.

For starters, eight players voted to the 2014 All-Star team are sitting out. Diana Taurasi and Candace Parker have chosen to give their bodies a rest; Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson are suspended seven games following their arrest for domestic violence; the Ogwumike sisters—Nneka and Chiney—are out with injury; Katie Douglas retired; and Sylvia Fowles refuses to play for the Chicago Sky, which owns her rights.

The aforementioned domestic dispute between Griner and Johnson has gotten uglier in recent weeks. Hours before the WNBA season began on Friday, it was announced that Griner was attempting to annul her marriage to Johnson, who had recently become pregnant. (Deadspin has brilliantly chronicled this crazy story.)

To top it all off, the New York Liberty hired Isiah Thomas as its president—a tone-deaf decision that has been roundly criticized because Thomas once lost a sexual harrassment case against a female employee.

Despite all the negativity, the WNBA remains a viable option for sports bettors hoping to exploit a weaker market.

“There are always some surprise players that step up and surprise teams that the market takes time adjusting to,” says MikeRAS, longtime Betting Talk poster and handicapper with Right Angle Sports. “We expect to see more of that early on this year with players who are not household names making an impact.

“It should create more opportunities for us.”

RAS will not be offering a WNBA service this year, but will be posting occasional free plays in a designated Betting Talk forum thread.

Do you bet WNBA? If so, feel free to register for the BT forum and share your plays with our community.