World Series Odds: Bank Astros To Be Champs Again

The Astros are on their way to another championship according to World Series Odds:

• Houston Astros 1.57
• Washington Nationals 2.45

The 2017 champs are just too good in almost every facet of baseball and have dispatched of some tough competition.

Awaiting them are the underdog Washington Nationals who proved they are better without superstar Bryce Harper. On paper, the Astros are better than the Nats but not by too much. Let's break down the Fall Classic.

MLB World Series Odds: Quick Facts

• The AL  and NL have split the last 10 World Series: 5-5
• Teams that opened as favourites are 3-2 in the last five World Series
• The Astros won as 2.45 underdogs in the 2017 World Series
• The Astros are 1-1 in the World Series
• This is the Nationals' first World Series

World Series Odds: Why Houston Has No Problem

No MLB team is perfect and the Astros could still disappoint the chalkers per their lofty World Series odds. But on paper, they have it all covered: a plethora of well-rounded hitters, a powerful rotation, and a dependable bullpen.

In fact, Houston ranked in the top-five in almost every major statistical category in both offense and defense. And they've proven that so far by getting through two feisty AL East teams in the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.

It starts with their pitching. Houston boasts an absurd rotation with Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, and Gerrit Cole. There is also Wade Miley, who is their wild card. He hasn't been the best but he can put up a solid game and be the difference in a series.

Their bullpen has also been steady and dependable. And most notably, the team as a whole has plenty of playoff experience. They're in the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons and they have won a series in each of the last three appearances.

Outside of winning a World Series title, the Astros have tasted their fair share of suffering like blowing a 2-1 series lead against the Royals in 2016 or getting backdoor swept by the Boston Red Sox last season (both teams went on to win the World Series, by the way).

This gives the Astros plenty of poise when facing adversity. And no small thanks to their management staff led by manager A.J. Hinch. There's a reason why Verlander has returned to his Cy Young form in Houston and why Cole has flourished as well.

And we haven't even talked about their lineup. From Jose Altuve to Alex Bregman to George Springer, they have batters who can hit the ball and hit the ball hard. Even if one or two get hurt or just fail to show up, they are at least 12-men deep.

While nothing is ever guaranteed in baseball, you can bet on the Astros to come through. They are just too talented, too deep, and too experienced. There's always the chance of a chokejob, an injury, or something else weird happening, But at with these World Series odds, bank on them.

Odds to Win World Series: The Case for the Nationals

This is the Nationals' first trip to the Fall Classic and they have underdog odds to win World Series. But never mind the World Series, the Nats had never even won a playoff series despite winning four division titles since 2012.

They, like the team they beat in the NLDS, the Los Angeles Dodgers, became notorious for melting down in the playoffs. But they've done the opposite of that this year.

As late as May 24, the Nats were 19-31 and became just the third team in the past century to make the World Series after 12 games below .500. They became "comeback kids" for the start of the MLB playoffs rallying past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL wild-card game and upsetting the 106-win Dodgers.

The Nationals proved they weren't just a comeback team as they thoroughly trounced the Cardinals on the strength of their pitching. Led by Max Scherzer, the Nats' rotation also includes Stephen Strasburg, Anibal Sanchez, and Pat Corbin. The four have been lights out, especially Scherzer and Sanchez. 

Even better, they get extra days' worth of rest so they can go all-out against the star-studded Astros. If they stay on a roll, they'll have a puncher's chance against Houston, who haven't been hitting that well.

The Nats' batters have been decent and are statistically ahead of the Astros. Of course, they haven't faced a rotation as steep as the Astros' although they have shown the propensity to deliver hits and homers when it matter. Those are things that you can't quantify. 

Washington looks like the "Team of Destiny" compared to the Astros, who look more like a dynasty-in-the-making. As slight underdogs, the Nats can give the Astros a run-for-their-money, especially with their hot rotation and clutch hitting.

They're worth a look with these current World Series Odds.

How to Bet the MLB World Series Odds

Watching the World Series is one thing, but how to bet the MLB World Series Odds is another. You can find plenty of betting websites around, but we give you the cream of the crop of sportsbooks here.

Books are the premier MLB betting sites. They quickly and often post betting lines and are among the industry leaders for Canada.

But before betting the World Series, do some research. Read up on some articles, stay updated with the news, and look through statistics. Most importantly, have a budget and a strategy because losing is never fun.

Category : Online Betting News

Tag : mlb odds , mlb picks , MLB World Series Odds , world series odds , World Series Picks

More articles...