Is there a clear-cut favorite in the National League playoffs?
Are the top-seeded Boston Red Sox and their league-leading 108 victories the favorite in the American League or is it really the 103-win defending champion Houston Astros?
With the start of the 2018 MLB playoffs on hand, now is a perfect time to make some postseason betting predictions that could potentially help you cash in over the course of the entire payoffs.
With that thought in mind and the postseason set to get underway this evening, let’s get started with a look at the odds to win the 2018 World Series.
It’s nice that Atlanta stunned everyone to win the NL East and make the playoffs for the first time in ages, bu the Braves don’t stand much of a chance of upsetting the Los Angeles Dodgers if you ask me. I know Atlanta finished in the top five in both, scoring (4.6 rpg, 9th) and team ERA (3.75, seventh), but the fact of the matter is that the Dodgers are just a little bit better than the Braves in both areas. L.A. ranked a stellar fifth in scoring (4.9 rpg) while ranking an even more impressive second in team ERA (3.38). The Dodgers and Brewers will meet in the National League Championship Series with L.A. eventually prevailing to make consecutive World Series appearances.
In the American League, No. 5 Oakland (97-65) takes on No. 4 NY Yankees (100-62) in a one-game wild card showdown and I’m going to back the upset-minded A’s to prevail. Oakland finished fourth in scoring (5.02 rpg) and 11th in team ERA (3.81) and while the A’s will be facing a Yankees team that finished second in scoring (5.25 rpg) and 10th in team ERA (3.78), I like the fact that they split their six regular season meetings – while taking seven of their last 10 against the Yanks overall.
The winner meets No. 1 Boston (108-54) but I’m not expecting either to upset a BoSox team that is clearly better than both teams. Red Sox sluggers Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez ranked first and second in the American League in batting average (.346, .330 respectively).
2018 World Series Odds Update – October 2nd Edition
| Team | Odds |
| Boston Red Sox | 3/1 |
| Houston Astros | 7/2 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 9/2 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 7/1 |
| Cleveland Indians | 8/1 |
| Chicago Cubs | 10/1 |
| New York Yankees | 10/1 |
| Atlanta Braves | 12/1 |
| Oakland Athletics | 12/1 |
| Colorado Rockies | 12/1 |
MLB Postseason Format
- Wild Card: 1-game playoff
- LDS: Best-of-5, 2-2-1 format
- LCS: Best-of-7, 2-3-2 format
- World Series: Best-of-7, 2-3-2 format
No. 5 Colorado (91-72) vs. No. 4 Chicago (95-68)
The Rockies and Cubs have played six times this season while splitting those meetings evenly. The Rockies are ranked seventh in scoring (4.7 rpg) but just 20th in team ERA (4.33). Chicago finished the regular season ranked 11th in scoring (4.6 rpg) but a stellar third in team ERA (3.65). The winner of this one-game wild card matchup will meet top-seeded Milwaukee and I’m expecting that to be Chicago because of their pitching advantage.Chicago vs. Milwaukee (96-67)
As far as a Brewers vs. Cubs series is concerned, I’m going with Milwaukee to advance because they’ll have home-field advantage and they’re were nearly identical to the Cubs in finishing 12th in scoring (4.6 rpg) and fifth in team ERA (3.73).No. 3 Atlanta (90-72) vs. No. 2 LA Dodgers (92-71)
It’s nice that Atlanta stunned everyone to win the NL East and make the playoffs for the first time in ages, bu the Braves don’t stand much of a chance of upsetting the Los Angeles Dodgers if you ask me. I know Atlanta finished in the top five in both, scoring (4.6 rpg, 9th) and team ERA (3.75, seventh), but the fact of the matter is that the Dodgers are just a little bit better than the Braves in both areas. L.A. ranked a stellar fifth in scoring (4.9 rpg) while ranking an even more impressive second in team ERA (3.38). The Dodgers and Brewers will meet in the National League Championship Series with L.A. eventually prevailing to make consecutive World Series appearances.
In the American League, No. 5 Oakland (97-65) takes on No. 4 NY Yankees (100-62) in a one-game wild card showdown and I’m going to back the upset-minded A’s to prevail. Oakland finished fourth in scoring (5.02 rpg) and 11th in team ERA (3.81) and while the A’s will be facing a Yankees team that finished second in scoring (5.25 rpg) and 10th in team ERA (3.78), I like the fact that they split their six regular season meetings – while taking seven of their last 10 against the Yanks overall.
The winner meets No. 1 Boston (108-54) but I’m not expecting either to upset a BoSox team that is clearly better than both teams. Red Sox sluggers Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez ranked first and second in the American League in batting average (.346, .330 respectively).
