Indiana Fever updated 2025 WNBA championship odds after unexpected first-round win

The No. 6-ranked Indiana Fever beat the No. 3-seeded Atlanta Dream 87-85 in Game 3 on Thursday to advance to the semifinals. After whipping the Dream 77-60 in Indiana two nights ago, the Fever remained underdogs entering the deciding game. Behind a balanced attack and a 7-0 run to end the game, the Fever pulled through to punch a ticket to the next round.

Despite the impressive win against a higher-seeded opponent, Indiana’s odds of winning the championship remain dim. ESPN has the Fever at +5000 to go all the way to claim the title. They are tied with the Seattle Storm, a possible semifinal opponent, for the worst odds to become champions.

The Minnesota Lynx (-170) and the Las Vegas Aces (+215), the top two seeds, are the firm favorites to emerge as winners.

The Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty, ranked No. 4 and 5 in the playoffs, respectively, have a deciding game on Friday. The winner of that series will face the Lynx, a key reason both have +1200 odds to nail the championship.

Indiana Fever fared well in regular-season meetings against either Seattle Storm or Las Vegas Aces

Thursday’s Game 3 winner between the Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aces will face the Indiana Fever in the semifinals. Although injury-riddled, the Indiana Fever fared well against both teams, hinting at the possibility of continuing that trend in the playoffs.

The Fever went 3-0 against the Storm in the regular season. Seattle came closest to beating Indiana in early August, but the Clark-less team held on to win 78-74.

The Las Vegas Aces present arguably the more difficult matchup for the Indiana Fever. Behind A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young, they finished the regular season with a 16-0 record. The Aces’ 17-game winning streak ended when they lost to the Storm 86-83 in Game 2 on Tuesday.

The Fever hold a 2-1 edge against the Aces in head-to-head encounters before the playoffs. Indiana never faced the stacked team during its juggernaut run to end the regular season. One game to note was the Fever’s 81-54 beatdown of the Aces in early July without Caitlin Clark.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero