Dodgers, Astros atop odds to win World Series after All-Star break
Heading into the final 2 1/2 months of the MLB regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros sit atop the odds to win the World Series at Las Vegas sportsbooks.
The Dodgers are 3-1 to win the World Series at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas, followed by the Houston Astros at 9-2. The Dodgers and Astros are co-favorites at both the MGM and South Point sportsbooks.
The Boston Red Sox (5-1), Washington Nationals (6-1) and Cleveland Indians (7-1) also are contenders with single-digit odds.
The defending-champion Chicago Cubs started the season as the consensus favorites, but after a disappointing start, they were overtaken in May by the Dodgers, Astros, Nationals and Indians. The Cubs are now listed at 12-1.
The Cubs entered the All-Star break at 43-45, 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central. The Cubs have been favorites in all but 14 games, but they have not been kind to bettors. If you bet $100 on the Cubs in every game this season, you'd be down $1,563, according to sports analytics site BetLabSports.com on SportsInsights. Only the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies, a pair of last-place teams, are down more on the money-line than the Cubs.
Bettors haven't completely jumped off the Chicago bandwagon quite yet. In fact, more money has been bet on the Cubs to win the World Series than any other team at the Westgate.
Oddsmakers at the Westgate did not adjust the Cubs' odds after Thursday's trade for left-handed starting pitcher Jose Quintana.
The Dodgers began the season at 10-1 to win the World Series at some books, but have emerged as the favorites and own the best record in baseball at 61-29. Jason Simbal, vice president of risk at Las Vegas sportsbook operator CG Technology, told ESPN that the Dodgers have overtaken the Cubs in terms of the amount of money wagered to win the World Series at his shop.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been among the biggest surprises. After opening at 100-1 to win the World Series, the Diamondbacks are now listed at 18-1 at the Westgate.
The New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies are each 20-1.
Yankees rookie star Aaron Judge is an odds-on 2-3 favorite to lead baseball in home runs at the Westgate. Judge has an MLB-best 30 home runs.
