Mystics vs. Tempo prediction: Why Toronto is favored to win WNBA Opening Night matchup [5/8/2026]

The Toronto Tempo and Washington Mystics are scheduled to meet in the WNBA at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Friday, with tipoff at 7:30 PM ET.

Based on updated simulations, Dimers' advanced WNBA model predicts the Tempo as the most likely winner of the Mystics vs. Tempo game.

The Tempo, led by Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes and Temi Fagbenle, are set to take on the Mystics, featuring Kiki Iriafen, Shakira Austin and Sonia Citron.

This article offers further insights into Friday's matchup, including best bets and player prop picks.

Mystics vs. Tempo prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using innovative machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the result of Friday's WNBA matchup between the Mystics and Tempo, forming part of our WNBA predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model currently gives the Tempo a 70% chance of beating the Mystics.

According to our model, the Tempo (-1.5) have a 64% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 160.5 points has a 63% chance of going over.

Mystics vs. Tempo odds

We have researched the best WNBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Mystics	Tempo
Spread	+1.5 (-112)	-1.5 (+100)
Moneyline	-105	-115
Total	o160.5 (-110)	u160.5 (-108)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Mystics vs. Tempo picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Tempo -1.5	+100
Moneyline	Tempo	-115
Total	Over 160.5	-110

According to our WNBA best bets, the top play to make on this game is Tempo to win.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Mystics vs. Tempo player props

WNBA prop bets are an enjoyable way to wager on the Washington vs. Toronto matchup without necessarily betting on the outcome. We use the best information available to project how each team's leading players will perform at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Kiki Iriafen is expected to lead the Mystics with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists, while Marina Mabrey is projected to have 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for the Tempo.

Check out our WNBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's WNBA first basket picks.

Mystics prediction

Our model's projected player stats for the Mystics are:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Kiki Iriafen	17	10	2	0	35
Shakira Austin	16	8	2	0	36
Sonia Citron	14	4	2	2	28
Lauren Betts	12	6	2	0	29
Cotie McMahon	8	2	1	0	14

Tempo prediction

Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Tempo:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Marina Mabrey	14	4	4	2	30
Brittney Sykes	14	4	4	1	30
Temi Fagbenle	9	5	2	0	22
Kia Nurse	8	3	1	1	15
Nikolina Milic	6	2	1	0	11

Mystics vs. Tempo game-day updates and essential details

Friday's game between the Tempo and Mystics at Coca-Cola Coliseum is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM ET.

• Who: Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo
• Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30PM PT
• Venue: Coca-Cola Coliseum

Conclusion

We predict the Tempo, with a 70% win probability, will likely beat the Mystics in Friday's WNBA matchup.

Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.