Way-Too-Early World Series 2023 Betting Guide
On March 30, the 2023 MLB regular season will finally be underway. Lots of movement happened in the offseason with superstar talent finding new homes, leading to unproven teams emerging as contenders for the elusive World Series championship.
In October 2022, the Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to win their second World Series championship in their franchise’s history. Shortstop Jeremy Pena was dubbed World Series MVP.
Going into the 2023 regular season, you can place bets on who will win the upcoming World Series. Now is the best time to get in on the action as bets will be the most profitable right now. Here is a guide on which teams are favored to win the championship and how your bets may turn out.
The Reigning, Defending Champs
The Houston Astros, as the reigning champions, are favored to repeat and win the 2023 World Series. Their odds currently stand at +600 via DraftKings, the best odds by a pretty sizable margin.
There’s no reason to think the Astros won’t be back in serious contention this year. They still have the perennial second baseman and super-slugger Jose Altuve, who’s been a consistent piece in their stretch of championship contention.
However, they did lose quite a bit of firepower in the offseason, the most notable being starting pitcher Justin Verlander. Verlander, who signed with the New York Mets, was their ace and struck fear in opposing batters for years. It will be a challenge for the pitching staff without his services.
It’s also not likely for the MLB to see a back-to-back champ. The last time it happened was in 2000 when the New York Yankees won their third consecutive World Series championship. Though the Astros are always in contention, getting over that hill in back-to-back years has proven to be too tall a task for over 2 decades.
Big Apple Bombs
The city of New York has its fair share of the championship odds this season. The Mets and the Yankees both have the second-best odds at +750.
The Yankees had themselves a successful offseason, headlined by the re-signing of their superstar Aaron Judge. The home-run-hitter has been terrorizing opposing pitchers for years in New York and looks to be remaining there for quite a long time. The pinstripes also added Carlos Rodon via free agency, one of the best pitchers in this offseason’s class.
But injuries are always a concern with the Yankees, and they’ve reared their ugly heads once again. Rodon will begin the season on the IL, a bad omen of things to come. Are they a good bet to win the World Series? Yes, but these concerns should be noted when making a pick.
The Mets are my personal favorite to win the World Series. They’ve added Justin Verlander to an already star-studded roster including shortstop Francisco Lindor, second baseman Pete Alonso and starting pitcher Max Scherzer.
The addition of Verlander to an already-loaded pitching rotation makes the Mets one of the deepest teams in the league and I predict they will make it all the way to the World Series and finally take home the championship. Due to their chances of winning and the potential payout vs. the favored Astros, I pick the New York Mets.
Other good bets: Los Angeles Dodgers +850, Atlanta Braves +900, San Diego Padres +950
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