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When it comes to figuring out the perception of a team, one strong place to look is the betting lines in Las Vegas. While it’s easy to say that people think the team can win, it’s more believable when there’s money on the line. After two months of the season, more people are willing to put their money on the Brewers.
As we start June, oddsmakers are updating their lines for the World Series and National League, and one of the new favorites includes the Brewers.
The #Yankees may have beaten up on the #Astros, but the Astros (9/2) still are the favorites to win the World Series, per the @bovadaLV oddsmakers. The Yankees, #Nats, #Brewers and Cleveland round out the top 5.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 1, 2018
While Nightengale overlooked the Red Sox in his tweet (he did correct it right afterward), it still means that the Brewers are currently in the top five in odds for winning the World Series. They currently come in at 11/1, which is a jump from the 25/1 odds they had at the start of May.
Here are the current odds, per Bovada, for winning the World Series:
- Houston Astros: 9/2
- New York Yankees: 5/1
- Boston Red Sox: 13/2
- Washington Nationals: 17/2
- Milwaukee Brewers: 11/1
- Cleveland Indians: 12/1
- Chicago Cubs: 15/1
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 16/1
- Arizona Diamondbacks: 18/1
- Atlanta Braves: 20/1
In addition, the Brewers position has improved to win the NL Pennant, moving up to second in odds after being at 12/1 at the start of May. Here are the current top 11 for the NL Pennant, per Bovada:
- Washington Nationals: 15/4
- Milwaukee Brewers: 9/2
- Chicago Cubs: 7/1
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 9/1
- Atlanta Braves: 19/2
- Arizona Diamondbacks: 10/1
- Colorado Rockies: 11/1
- St. Louis Cardinals: 11/1
- Philadelphia Phillies: 12/1
- San Francisco Giants: 16/1
- New York Mets: 16/1
Finally, here’s the current odds for the NL Central, per Bovada, where the Brewers have become the favorite in Vegas, moving up from 15/4 odds:
- Milwaukee Brewers: 10/11
- Chicago Cubs: 7/4
- St. Louis Cardinals: 13/4
- Pittsburgh Pirates: 30/1
- Cincinatti Reds: 500/1
There’s a few caveats to these lists, of course. First of all, these are Vegas lines. While skill of the team is taken into account, odds can be inflated or deflated based on how people are betting at the time. It’s how the Dodgers and Giants, who are tied for the fourth worst record in the NL, both can maintain better odds, as people are betting on them. At the same time, that’s a source of encouragement. The fact that the Brewers odds are so good means that people are taking notice of them and betting on them. If the odds were lower, it would mean that people see the Brewers as a fluke. If people are willing to take a chance on them, it means they believe in them to at least some extent.
As the Brewers enter June, they are in a good position in the standings. They lead the NL Central over the Cubs by four games, and have the best record in the National League and third best winning percentage in all of baseball. There’s still over 100 games to play this season, so a lot can still happen. However, after two months, many are willing to believe that the Brewers are a legitimate contender.
(The above information is for entertainment and informational purposes only, they are not a recommendation for betting.)