Chicago Cubs Favorite at Sportsbooks to Repeat as World Series Champs

Posted on: February 15, 2017, 04:00h. 

Last updated on: February 15, 2017, 03:42h.

Casino.org Staff Writer Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

The Chicago Cubs are the heavy favorite at Nevada sportsbooks to win the 2017 World Series and defend their Major League Baseball (MLB) title.

Vegas always like a winner, and when it comes to writing odds on professional sports futures, the oddsmakers tend to favor the team holding the most recent championship trophy. And that is especially holding true for the Cubbies, one of the most popular baseball franchises in America.

Similar to the Green Bay Packers in NFL season-long betting, the Cubs routinely attract much preseason action on their title dreams. Part of that was due to the team’s 108-year World Series victory drought, which ended last November, but the Windy City organization also has one of the largest fan bases in the US.

While many land-based sportsbooks in Vegas are still finalizing their MLB futures, the Atlantis Casino in Reno is taking bets.

The sportsbook puts the Cubs’ over/under regular season win total at 95.5. The team Chicago beat in last fall’s World Series, the Cleveland Indians, comes in second at 92.5.

Those looking to take an underdog can go with the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies (72.5), Atlanta Braves (71.5), Minnesota Twins (70.5), Oakland Athletics (66.5), and the league-worst San Diego Padres at 64.5.

Online Futures

Online casinos like Bovada already have odds on all 30 teams’ MLB title chances, and like Atlantis, they also believe the Cubs will repeat as the best time in baseball.

Bovada is currently offering the best odds for those who want to put money on the Cubbies. Other sites have shorter odds including BetOnline (+425), 5Dimes (+400), and SportBet (+400).

Unlike Atlantis, however, is that the online books like the Boston Red Sox over the Indians in the American League. Perhaps that’s due to heavier betting from the larger fan base in Massachusetts, but Bovada gives the BoSox the same odds as the Cubs to win the Fall Classic.

The Indians are third (+800) at Bovada, followed by the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers at +1000.

Chicago Gambling

Sports betting remains confined in America to Nevada, but repealing the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is a growing conversation throughout the US. Should that happen, a large portion of the estimated $80 billion bet through illegal means would come into land-based and regulated casinos.

Illinois lawmakers are presently mulling a casino bill that would authorize a commercial gambling establishment in downtown Chicago. Residents and visitors currently in the Second City often travel southeast to Indiana’s riverboat casinos.

Gambling stands to provide a substantial new stream of tax revenue to Chicago, and the city could certainly use help with funding ways to curtail its crime and homicide epidemic.