The World Series is finally here, and all eyes are on the Bay Area to see if their beloved Oakland A’s can end their long drought and bring home their first World Series title in over 30 years. It’s an exciting matchup between the two winningest organizations in MLB history, and with the series being played at home, the excitement is sky high. Before the games even start, there’s already bettors placing wagers on the outcome. But what’s the best betting line for the A’s to beat the heavily favored and victorious Los Angeles Dodgers? Let’s take a look at the betting odds and see if we can find some value in making money on this year’s World Series matchup.
What’s The Current Betting Line?
The first place we went to see if we could find the current betting lines for the A’s to win the World Series was Odds Shark. After some searching, we found that the over under for Game 7 of the World Series is currently set at 7.5, with the A’s listed as slight favorites. The over/under is the total number of runs that will be scored by both teams combined. For example, if the total is 147, then the over would be 147, and the under would be 0. The over/under is popularly used in sports betting because it’s easy to figure out what side of the bet to take. For instance, if the over/under is set at 7, you’d want to take the A’s side and risk losing a little bit of money. But if the over/under is set at 6, then you may want to try your luck on the underdogs and risk making some big bucks.
Why Are The A’s Favorites In This Game?
As mentioned above, the A’s are currently listed as slight favorites in Game 7 of the World Series. According to Odds Shark’s research, they are 5.5 point favorites over the Dodgers and the over/under is set at 7.5. Looking at this game more closely, the A’s are clearly in the right place at the right time. The last three World Series matchups between these two rivals have been won by the Dodgers. In fact, in the last three games, the series totals are as follows:
- Dodgers 15, A’s 13
- Dodgers 17, A’s 15
- Dodgers 17, A’s 15
But the A’s have finally proven their worth in the postseason, posting a 12-5 record in their last 17 games, which is a far cry from the 1-15 start to the year. Since the start of August, the A’s are 17-7, which is the best record in all of baseball.
Now that the A’s are finally getting some respect from the betting community, they may just win their first World Series title in 30 years. Although there’s value in betting on the A’s, as we’ll see below, it might be better to take the over/under on the game.]
Are The Dodgers Even Better Than Predicted?
Another interesting thing about our research into the betting lines for the World Series is that we were able to find values in several different places. One of the better values we found was the underdogs, in this case the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even as early as October 28th, 2018, the line for the World Series in New York City was the Dodgers -1, with the over/under being set at 7.5. Since then, the line has steadily moved in favor of the underdogs, with the most recent update placing the Dodgers at -2.5 with the over/under being set at 7. So if you’re looking to make some big money by taking the underdogs, this would be a good time to do so. The only downside is that the over/under might be a touch higher than usual, so you may have to risk a little more to get your money back.
Which Side Of The A’s Betting Line Should You Look At?
As mentioned above, the A’s are currently listed as slight favorites in Game 7 of the World Series. Odds Shark’s research shows that they are 5.5 point favorites over the Dodgers. But which side of that line you should you look at?
If you’re interested in backing the A’s, you may want to look at the under, but only if they are priced appropriately. In order to do so, you’ll need to analyze whether or not the A’s are truly underdogs in this case. Let’s take a quick look at their recent history.
Recent History
One of the best sources for analyzing past performances and determining future outcomes is sportsbooks. Due to the nature of the game, outcomes are rarely what they seem on the surface. This is especially true in the case of the World Series, where close games are extremely common and betting exchanges make it easy to get information about past matchups.
Since the start of August, the A’s are 17-7, which is the best record in all of baseball. Even better, they’ve done this while scoring a league-low 19 runs in that time. This is a big swing in the wrong direction for a team that was once one of the best in baseball. So while there is value in betting on the A’s, as we noted above, you might be better served by waiting for a better price on the over/under before laying down your cash. If you want to take the A’s, make sure you analyze whether or not they are actually underdogs in this case. If they aren’t, then there’s no point in betting on them.