Yankees are Second-Favorites for 2019 World Series

It’s the time of year when the great and the good in baseball are busy handing out awards to each other, fans are planning dream rosters and players are doing whatever players do whenever a game is not scheduled six nights a week.

However, as great coaches and players will always tell you, there is always next season to think about. Sportsbooks, always keen to have their say early, have already released odds for the 2019 season, which makes for some interesting reading. Of course, things could be very different by the time spring rolls around. Who knows what the Winter Meetings will bring? However, it’s still a worthy exercise to see what sportsbooks think of the teams.

For New York sports fans, it makes fairly good reading. Several top sportsbooks, including Ladbrokes, have put the Yankees in as second-favorite behind the Red Sox. The Yankees’ odds are sitting around 13/2, with the World Series champions just slightly ahead at 11/2. Some bookies have opted for the Astros just ahead of the Yankees, with Unibet fancying the 2017 champions as equal favorites with the Red Sox at 6/1.

AL still looking stronger

Having those three teams at the top of the odds perhaps points once again to the balance of power shifting to the American League. In fact, some sportsbooks have the Sox, Yankees and Astros at similar odds to the win the AL Pennant as they are to win the World Series, which makes no sense from a betting perspective.

Of course, it would be foolish to rule out any National League team. The Dodgers are leading the NL charge, priced just behind the AL trio at 7/1. Behind the Dodgers, come the Cubs and the Braves at 11/1 and 12/1 respectively. You would expect at least one of that trio to still be in business in late October.

There is plenty of reason to take a chance on a big-priced team at this stage. The ‘other half’ of New York will be glad to see that the Mets are given plenty of respect by bookmakers in the offseason, with odds of around 28/1 being offered. However, some bookies, including Betway, have the Mets as big as 66/1. If you fancy a shot to nothing for a World Series parade outside Citi Field, check out these latest free bet no deposit offers.

Phillies rumored for big deals

Part of the “science” of making a bet in the offseason is perhaps about predicting teams who have a so-so roster now, but who might make a big splash in acquiring some reinforcements over the coming months. The hearsay around trades makes it way to the odds too, so you will find the Phillies at just 20/1. That’s pretty low for a team that just about above average, so you would have to imagine that the sportsbooks are listening to the rumors of Manny Machado or Bryce Harper heading to Philadelphia.

Some might look at the Angels, who come in at odds of 66/1 with BetVictor to win the World Series. While it seems a decent price, the problem comes with their route to the postseason. The Yankees, Red Sox, Astros and Indians are almost guaranteed to gobble up four of the five spots from an American League perspective, leaving just one spot, probably the Wild Card Game, open for any other team. Still, if you hear of any big trades heading to LA, might be the time to take up those big odds.