Where Denver Stacks Up Against Leading WNBA Expansion Candidates

Where Denver Stacks Up Against Leading WNBA Expansion Candidates
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Fact Checked by Michael Peters

With the Mile High City still soaking in the glory of the Denver Nugget’s first NBA championship, now’s the time to talk about another pro team calling the city home.

Denver is among the cities that will be front and center in the next round of expansion (from 12 to 14 teams) in the WNBA, along with Philadelphia, the California Bay Area and Toronto.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Athletic she hopes to identify one or two cities for an expansion franchise by the start of the WNBA playoffs in September or by year’s end at the latest. Those new teams could begin to play as early as the 2024 season, she said.

BetColorado.com took a break from covering sports betting in Colorado and developed hypothetical odds of where the next WNBA franchises could be placed.

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WNBA Expansion Odds

City/MetroPct. ChanceOdds
San Francisco 63.6%-175
Philadelphia 33.3%+200
Toronto 33.3%+200
Nashville 25%+300
Denver 15.4%+550
Portland 12.5%+700
Others 16.7%+500
Odds are hypothetical and not available from Colorado online sportsbooks.
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Denver Among Leading Expansion Contenders

While Denver has hosted a myriad of professional sports teams over the years, from professional football to pro lacrosse, the WNBA and soccer’s NWSL have both stayed clear of Denver so far.

The last women’s team to call the city home was the American Basketball League’s Denver Xplosion in 1996, though that league eventually folded and gave way to the modern day WNBA.

We have Denver at +550, ranking fifth among potential WNBA expansion markets, behind the Bay Area (-175), Philadelphia and Toronto (+200 apiece) and Nashville (+300).

The WNBA’s two current super teams — Las Vegas and New York — lead the league standings. Caesars Colorado has Vegas as a commanding championship favorite (-360). New York is second at +275, while Dallas is a distant third at +1800.

Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY or Washington, DC. New users only. Must register using eligible promo code. First wager after registration must qualify. Min. Odds: -500. Max. Bonus Bet: $250. Awarded as non-withdrawable Bonus Bet that expires 14 days after receipt. Bonus Bet amount not returned for winning bets. Void where prohibited. See http://Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Know When To Stop Before You Start®. Gambling Problem? CO, IL, KY, MD, MI, MO, NJ, OH, TN, VA, WV, WY, KS (Affiliated with Kansas Crossing Casino), ME (Licensed through the Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, federally recognized tribes located in the State of Maine), NC (Licensed through Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise), PA (Affiliated with Harrah's Philadelphia): If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or MD: visit http://mdgamblinghelp.org or WV: visit http://1800gambler.net ; AZ: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; IN: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT; IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF; LA (Licensed through Horseshoe Bossier City and Caesars New Orleans), Washington, DC (OLG Class A licensed Operator): Call 1-800-522-4700. ©2025, Caesars Entertainment Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER DC, LA: Call 1-800-522-4700 MA: Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit http://gamblinghelplinema.org NY: Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369)
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Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.

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