WNBA Expert Picks for 8/18: Tuesday Night in the W
Written by: Varun Sharma
Last Update: Tue Aug 18, 2026, 3:19 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
wnba
It's Taco Tuesday and we've got a full WNBA slate to boot. Four games on the hardwood tonight and I've got three plays locked and loaded. Let's jump right into my favorite WNBA bets tonight and talk a little hoops.
For more information on betting the WNBA, check our full WNBA Betting Guide.
Today's Best Bets
Chelsea Gray o8.5 A/R (-130) | Lucky Rebel
Let's just kick it off with the (probable) game of the night; the Las Vegas Aces hosting the Atlanta Dream. We've got A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young on the side of the Aces. With Angel Reese, Aliisha Gray and Rhyne Howard on the side of the visiting team.
The stars are out in Vegas tonight and I couldn't be more excited for this matchup.
Anytime we see Angel Reese and A'ja Wilson face off, it's must see television. Wilson's got a 6-1 advantage in the head-to-head series, averaging 24.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.
On the flip side, Reese is consistently dominating the glass; averaging 13.7 points per game against A'ja but 14.3 rebounds per contest. Reese is averaging 4.9 offensive rebounds per game in these 7 matchups and the Dream have dropped both of those matchups this season.
All that said, I'm targeting neither Reese nor Wilson; I'm jumping right to Chelsea Gray. Gray leads the Aces this year with 7.1 assists per game and it just feels like every time A'ja has a big game; Gray's got her hands all over it.
She's cleared this line in both mashups against the Dream this year and in 5 of her last 7 games overall. The Dream rank 15th in opponent shooting percentage, 15th in opponent 3-point percentage and if not for their slow pace of play; they'd give up a ton more points.
Lastly, just a little narrative to sprinkle in. Chelsea Gray and Aliisha Gray were the two finalists in this year's Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament. Chelsea went home home with the Tournament Crown and the $200,000 cash prize.
And when you write that $200,000 CHECK make sure you put CHELSEA GRAY 👑 pic.twitter.com/AaxMYHWYfo
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 15, 2026
Jonquel Jones o24.5 P/R (-110) | Lucky Rebel
The New York Liberty are hot.
The team's won 7 of their 9 games since the All-Star break, they sit just two games back of the 3-seed and that's with their two best players kind of struggling. Both Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu have been struggling shooting the ball and it's been Jonquel Jones leading the charge.
Jones is averaging 14.7 points per game this year, she leads the Liberty with 9.4 rebounds per game and she's been dominant on the offensive glass. Over her last 10 games, Jones is averaging 2.5 offensive rebounds per game and the Chicago Sky have continued to struggled with opposing bigs.
The Sky rank 11th in opponent offensive rebound rate, 15th in rebounds allowed and 11th in points allowed. Chicago also ranks 12th in opponent free throw rate, opponent rim frequency and they've struggled with 3-point shooting bigs this season.
Jones is shooting 39% from beyond the arc this year and that jumps to 42% when she's playing outside of New York. She's also hit 2+ 3-pointers in 4 of her last 5 games against the Sky and in 4 of her last 6 games overall.
Both Awa Fam and Dominique Malonga hit 2+ 3-pointers against this Sky team within the last week and we saw Jones do exactly that earlier this year. She looks more comfortable scoring the basketball and tonight's matchup in the Windy City just feels perfect.
Kelsey Mitchell o25.5 Points (-111) | Lucky Rebel
Lastly, let's finish with a little chalk. Kelsey Mitchell has been one of the best scorers in the WNBA this year and tonight she faces off with the 15th ranked defense in terms of points allowed.
The Toronto Tempo are giving up 94.1 points per game this year and more than 50% of those points are coming from the opposing guards.
The Tempo rank 13th in opponent effective field goal percentage, 10th in opponent 3-point percentage and 14th in opposing 3-pointers made. Mitchell is averaging 24.2 points per game this year, she's shooting 50% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc.
Mitchell's cleared this line in 7 of her last 10 games overall, averaging 27.3 points per game and doing it on shooting splits of 53/49/79. All 10 of these games came with Caitlin Clark in the lineup and saw Mitchell take nearly 20 shot attempts per game.
Mitchell had 27 points against the Tempo earlier this year summer and that too came with Clark in the lineup.
Looking for More
More MLB News
MLB Betting News
MLB Expert Picks for 8/18: Back These Three Home Teams
MLB Betting News
MLB Expert Picks for 8/17: Sides, Totals and a Player Prop Parlay
MLB Betting News
MLB Best Bets for 8/16: All Day Baseball on Sunday
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER
Follow me on 'X' @VSaaauce for all my picks and sports takes you didn't ask for! Follow Betting News on 'X' and Twitch and catch us on stream! Betting News is also on TikTok! Follow us for more picks, and news!
Looking for a great promo for a new sportsbook? Check out our reviews of the best sportsbooks.
You may know me as ‘VSaaauce’. I’ve been a die hard hoops fan my entire life. I’ve been betting on the NBA/NCAAB/NFL/MLB for six years now, each year gaining more and more knowledge about being a profitable handicapper. I’m eager to learn, and eager to pass on everything I’ve gained over the last few years. I started my Twitter page four years ago, and this community makes me so thankful I did. Outside of sports and handicapping, I enjoy traveling, hoopin, a strong espresso and I’m currently studying to obtain my MD. I’m all about the vibes, good vibes only. If that sounds like you, follow me on 'X' @VSaaauce.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.