What a difference a week makes! Following the Major League Baseball trade deadline, the landscape of the league looks vastly different, although the Dodgers still remain at the top of future book standings after acquiring Tarik Skubal, the largest chess piece available. While the Dodgers were already the World Series favorite, their odds lowered yet again and are the clear-cut frontrunners.
“There’s no question they were the odds-on favorite to win anyway, and now you’re actually laying a price to win the World Series, said Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos Race and Sports Book Director. The Dodgers are more stacked than a Jenga tower. With all that in mind, let’s quickly review the past week in sports and peek at what’s ahead on the STN Sports App and the STN Sports Books…
MLB
Just five weeks ago, the Boston Red Sox were thought to be big-time sellers at the trade deadline, but then they got hotter than a hibachi grill and went on a massive winning streak. On Monday, they acquired catcher Adley Rutschman, a former No. 1 overall pick, from the Baltimore Orioles.
“Several years ago, he was thought of as the guy for the Orioles, so it’s a big trade for the Red Sox, and I think they help themselves a lot as well,” Esposito said. “He hasn’t had a great year, but I think just getting a young catcher like that to inject into that lineup and not having maybe to be the guy, I think he helps them a lot.” With the American League more open than a 24/7 diner, the Sox could be playing in late October.
Another winner of the trade deadline, in the STN oddsmakers’ eyes, is the Chicago Cubs, who currently sit in second place in the NL Central (and first place in the wildcard), despite the pitching staff getting more injury-prone than Homer Simpson. On Monday, the Cubbies snatched up pitchers Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes.
“They are both ground ball pitchers who can pitch in Wrigley Field with that Gold Glove defense behind them,” Esposito said. For Chicago, a few guys are also nearing a return from the injured list, meaning the rotation and bullpen will only get deeper. “From a rotation standpoint, they’re much better than they’ve been in a long time, and the fact that they’re 15 games above .500 and have had all these guys on the DL all year, I think they’re a good team,” Esposito said.
Unlike the American League, where upwards of seven or eight teams appear to have championship ilk, the National League is very top-heavy, with the Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies and Brewers all capable of deep playoff runs. But who is the biggest threat to the Dodgers after the deadline? Esposito opined, “I think it’s the Cubs and the Brewers.”
Soccer
The World Cup brought in a record-setting handle, and everyone seemed to be soccer crazy. People were celebrating the world’s most popular game as if it were a presidential visit to Red Rock. The fervor has carried over into Major League Soccer betting. “Soccer continues to grow. We continue to book more and more leagues, and the handle continues to grow,” Esposito said. “The World Cup definitely didn’t hurt it, and it helped, but soccer as a whole continues to be a sport that we see an uptick in handle on all the time.”
Aces
The Las Vegas Aces have stayed somewhat under the radar this season, despite quietly being great. The Aces have consistently been among the top three or four teams in the WNBA, but have yet to have the league’s best record. They don’t care.
“There’s just this expectation level that they’re good and they’re that team that can kind of flip that switch when they have to, and that’s always a scary, good team,” Esposito said. That said, guests have noticed how quietly great Becky Hammon’s team is. “As the Aces go, the bettors go, so the better they play, the more that they bet on them,” he added.
Bets To Know
Pro Football is right around the corner, and our betting menu continues to explode with season player prop options. Take a look at some great options to jump at early opportunities.
Weekly Winners
Baseball bettors continue to find ways to win big throughout the summer. Congrats on this $10 parlay hitting for $302.72 on Monday:
-Diamondbacks over Padres
-Blue Jays over Astros
-Giants over Rangers
-Cubs over Dodgers
-Phillies over Nationals