Los Angeles Dodgers Slight Favorites Over Houston Astros to Win Baseball World Series

Posted on: October 23, 2017, 06:54h. 

Last updated on: October 23, 2017, 06:56h.

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Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

After an impressive performance defeating the defending champion Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are a slight favorite to defeat the Houston Astros in the World Series, which begins Tuesday.

LA Dodgers headed to the 2017World Series
The Dodgers beat the defending champion Cubs to reach the World Series, and are favored to defeat the Houston Astros. (Image: Getty Images)

The Dodgers opened at minus-175 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, according to a tweet from sportsbook manager Jeff Sherman.

“Houston Astros +120 (6/5), Los Angeles Dodgers -140 (5/7),” he posted shortly after the Astros defeated the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday.

Last year, when futures odds on the 2017 season opened, the Dodgers were a 9-to-1 pick, with their payout odds increasing to 10-to-1 right before Spring Training. The Astros opened the season with 16-to-1 odds that improved to 14-to-1 by the first week of February.

The favorites were the Red Sox and the Cubs at 9-to-2. The Red Sox lost to Houston in the first round of the playoffs.

Why Dodgers are Favored

This is the first time since 1970, when the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds faced each other, that two 100-win teams have played in the Fall Classic. The Dodgers won a league-leading 104 games, while the Astros recorded 101 victories. The two teams did not face each other during the regular season.

In the playoffs, the Dodgers have had relatively little trouble, going 7-1, with their only loss to the defending champion Chicago Cubs. In those eight games, they outscored Arizona and Chicago 48-19.

The Astros had a little more difficulty in the postseason. They lost a game in their opening round to Boston and had to go to seven games to dispatch the Yankees. They outscored those two by a margin of 44-40.

Because Los Angeles closed out the NLCS in five games they will benefit with four days of rest. Houston only gets two.

Game One Aces

Despite having less of a break, Houston will still be able to start their star pitcher Dallas Keuchel. The lefty has appeared in three games with a 2-1 record and 2.60 earned run average. He was 14-5 during the regular season with an ERA of 2.90.

Los Angeles will counter with their ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw. The 29-year-old is 2-0 in three starts with an ERA of 3.63.

The Dodgers are also favored to win the opening game. The Westgate has the ALCS winner at plus-161, the best odds for any of the major sportsbooks. They moved the Dodgers to minus-172.

The MGM Mirage has the highest line on the Dodgers at minus-175.

CG Technology, which operates sportsbooks in eight Las Vegas casinos including the Cosmopolitan, Palms and Hard Rock, have the best odds for the Dodgers at minus-165.

One proposition bet offered is, “will there be a run scored in the first inning?” Yes is plus-140, and no is minus-170. The over/under of 8 ½ has the over at plus-180 and the under at minus-240.

Margin of victory has some of the largest numbers with the Astros at plus-1,000 if they score five or more runs that LA. The Dodgers get plus-500 for the same amount.