How Public Perception Affects World Series Betting Odds

It can be very difficult to get fair odds on popular MLB teams like the New York Yankees. (Photo credit: Keith Allison / Foter / CC BY-SA)


There are a lot of things to consider when you make your picks on the 2015 World Series betting odds.

Regular season win totals can be an indicator of what to expect from each team, but a lot of the World Series betting odds are determined by public perception.

Here are three reasons certain teams don’t get as much national media attention or hype as others:

1. Big fanbases

Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs will get more than their share of attention. That can inflate their respective prices.

2. Recent World Series success

The San Francisco Giants have won three of the last five World Series, and the Kansas City Royals faced them there in 2014. That exposure has them fresh in bettors’ minds and may be devaluing them.

3. Offseason “winners”

Each season, certain teams load up on free agents and/or trades for big players, and more often than not, those teams disappoint after the media inflates their potential to near-mythic status.

The 2012 Miami Marlins and 2013 Toronto Blue Jays are recent examples of teams who made big offseason splashes leading to sweeping predictions of impending glory and higher MLB odds, only to fall flat on their respective faces.

Which clubs were the offseason “winners” this winter? The San Diego Padres stand out as the team that made the biggest splash, and are now priced at +2054 at Pinnacle Sports despite going 77-85 a year ago and sharing a division with the Dodgers and Giants.

In addition to San Diego, the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs grabbed a big share of the headlines this year.

 

None of these are hard and fast rules, but you’ll generally find good value in those clubs that have been left behind as early bettors climb aboard more glamorous trains.

Make sure you conduct research and keep a speculative eye on potential trades, and you’ll put yourself in a position to cash after a fun season of watching your investment.