{"id":115942,"date":"2019-09-28T03:36:19","date_gmt":"2019-09-28T10:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=115942"},"modified":"2019-09-29T09:20:05","modified_gmt":"2019-09-29T16:20:05","slug":"mlb-regular-season-winds-down-with-astros-world-series-favorites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/mlb-regular-season-winds-down-with-astros-world-series-favorites\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Regular Season Winds Down This Weekend, With Astros World Series Favorites"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the final weekend of the Major League Baseball )MLB) regular season, and unlike recent years, this season\u2019s playoff picture is pretty much set.<\/p>\n

\"\"
After being traded to the Astros nearly two months ago, pitcher Zack Greinke helped Houston become World Series favorites. The Astros now have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.(Image: Houston Astros\/MLB)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yes, there\u2019s still a question about who will win the National League Central, and that could still come down to a playoff. However, the loser between the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers will still have a chance for the Wild Card, where they would face the Washington Nationals in a one-game playoff for the right to move to the National League Divisional Series.<\/p>\n

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves have wrapped up the National League West and East, respectively, with the Dodgers awaiting the Wild Card winner. The Braves will get ready for who wins out between the Cards and Brewers.<\/p>\n

In the American League, everything is already set. The Oakland A\u2019s and Tampa Bays Rays will play in the Wild Card Game, although it remains to be seen where the game will be played. The winner of that game will face the Houston Astros in the American League Divisional Series, while the Minnesota Twins face the New York Yankees in the other ALDS.<\/p>\n

\n

Over at FanDuel, the Astros, at +200, have the best odds of any team to win this year\u2019s World Series. Not surprisingly, they have already guaranteed home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and the Astros are also the only team to have won 60 games at home this season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

However, among all playoff teams, Houston only has the fifth-best record against teams with winning records.<\/p>\n

The Dodgers, who have home field in the NL, are the second choice at +270, followed by the Yankees at +400.<\/p>\n

The odds lengthen from there, as the Braves are at +800. The Twins and Cards are at +1600, followed by the A\u2019s (+1900), Nats (+2000), Brewers (+2500), and Rays (+2700).<\/p>\n

Brewers Still Riding Hot Streak<\/h2>\n

While they still remain near the bottom of the odds board, it\u2019s still amazing that the Brewers<\/a> have hung around.<\/p>\n

On Sept. 10, they lost Most Valuable Player candidate Christian Yelich for the season after he broke his right kneecap fouling off a pitch. Despite that loss of a player who was hitting .329 with 44 homers and 30 stolen bases, Milwaukee has won 13 of its last 16 games.<\/p>\n

In that stretch, the Brewers overtook the Chicago Cubs to clinch at least a playoff spot, and they\u2019ve whittled what was a five-game Cardinals lead on Sept. 10 to just one with two games left.<\/p>\n

Really, it was against all odds what we just accomplished,\u201d veteran left fielder Braun said after the team clinched a playoff spot in Cincinnati earlier this week. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to articulate how unlikely what we just did was. But there\u2019s still challenges that lie ahead.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another challenge may have popped up Friday night when Braun had to leave the game because of a left calf strain. He\u2019s expected to get an MRI Saturday to determine the severity. But even as hot as the Brewers have been, they can ill afford to lose another productive bat (22 homers, 74 runs batted in) in the lineup.<\/p>\n

Astronomical Bet<\/h2>\n

A Houston businessman is hoping to put down some big bucks on his hometown team.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Jimmy Vaccaro, an oddsmaker at the South Point sportsbook, posted on Twitter a $200,000 bet his book took on an Astros futures bet to win the Series. At +250 odds, the winning bettor stands to net $500,000 if the Astros do indeed win it all.<\/p>\n

\n

Guess who\u2019s treating for dinner tonight? pic.twitter.com\/wvOeJDDbp8<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jimmy Vaccaro (@JimmyVaccaro) September 24, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n