We are halfway through the regular season of Major League Baseball. This means that we have a relatively good idea of how the teams have been playing and what we can expect from the second half. The best determinant of future behavior is past behavior.
But don’t count out the surprises yet! Here we have our picks for the winner of the 2021 American League Pennant and the World Series.
The biggest rivalry in the American League, that one between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, is, for once, not taking center stage. Let’s take a look ahead using odds from top sportsbooks to see who will win the American League pennant.
This year our focus is more dispersed across the nation. The main two contenders for winning the American League Pennant are the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros.
The New York Yankees are a distant fifth in the betting odds for winning the AL Pennant. At +1000, these traditional favorites are clearly in a rebuilding year.
If you just look at their records, it may be confusing why the Astros are so much more favored than the Red Sox, for example. Their wins and losses are nearly identical. However, you should expect this to change.
The Astros have been playing against great teams while holding their ground. They are 42-22 against teams that are over .500. They have not been skating along, by any means. They have earned their position.
This is why we go with the Houston Astros to win the American League Pennant.
| Odds to Win AL Pennant |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | +275 | +275 | +280 |
| New York Yankees | +400 | +400 | +410 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +400 | +450 | +450 |
| Seattle Mariners | +850 | +900 | +850 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +1100 | +1100 | +1200 |
The only baseball title more important than the pennants is, of course, the World Series. Baseball bettors never really take their eyes off the World Series, but with the All-Star game behind us now, we can really focus on the postseason.
It may be a surprise that the Dodgers are the current favorites to win the World Series, given that they are not even leading their own division. However, Cody Bellinger, former Most Valuable Player, is still recovering from a hamstring injury and has not been playing as well as he did in the past.
The Houston Astros have much more valuable odds than the Dodgers. In fact, a winning bet on the Astros will get you almost double the payout. While all odds at just halfway through the season will be outside favorites, it is not accurate that the Astros are half as likely to win the World Series.
This is why we recommend the Astros as the winner of the World Series 2021.
With these MLB picks in hand, you still need to sign up with great baseball betting sites. We provide here a list of online sportsbooks that you can trust and that will have lots of MLB betting markets.
Check them out! And be sure to sign up with at least two. This way you can do your own line shopping when you are ready to place your bets.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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