After two months of play in the 2015 Major League Baseball season, bettors’ behavior is changing, in some cases, considerably. In the newest report from oddsmaker bovada.lv, odds to win divisions, pennants and the World Series are shortening for the hot teams and lengthening for the strugglers.
The St. Louis Cardinals, with MLB’s best record, have strengthened their hold on the National League Central, at least according to bettor behavior. The club moved from 4/9 to 1/3 this month.
To win the NL pennant, the Cards odds have lengthened slightly, from 7/2 to 4/1, as the Washington Nationals passed the Los Angeles Dodgers. To take it all, St. Louis moved from 7/1 last month to 15/2.
In the NL Central, the Chicago Cubs, who were the division favorite back in December, have slipped past toward the Pittsburgh Pirates, just as the real standings indicate.
Division surgers include the Houston Astros in the American League and the San Francisco in the NL. Among those with longer odds are the White Sox and Seattle in the AL and Washington in the NL.
The World Series odds favor the Nationals, Dodgers, then Cardinals and Royals tied, in that order. Last month’s leader was Los Angeles.
Two Cardinals appearing on the Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award lists for the NL, are heading in different directions with Matt Carpenter going from 9/1 to 12/1 and Michael Wacha now at 9/1 from 10/1, respectively.
NL Central clubs in bold.
| Odds to win 2015 World Series | 10/30/14 | 12/15/14 | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 |
| Washington Nationals | 10/1 | 15/2 | 7/1 | 6/1 | 10/1 | 6/1 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 15/2 | 15/2 | 17/2 | 17/2 | 6/1 | 13/2 |
| Kansas City Royals | 16/1 | 20/1 | 28/1 | 33/1 | 9/1 | 15/2 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 12/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 | 12/1 | 7/1 | 15/2 |
| San Francisco Giants | 12/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 | 18/1 | 20/1 | 10/1 |
| Chicago Cubs | 50/1 | 12/1 | 14/1 | 16/1 | 16/1 | 12/1 |
| Detroit Tigers | 10/1 | 12/1 | 16/1 | 16/1 | 15/2 | 14/1 |
| Houston Astros | 100/1 | 150/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 20/1 | 18/1 |
| New York Mets | 40/1 | 25/1 | 28/1 | 33/1 | 14/1 | 18/1 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 10/1 | 12/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 | 25/1 | 20/1 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 20/1 | 33/1 | 28/1 | 25/1 | 33/1 | 20/1 |
| New York Yankees | 22/1 | 25/1 | 33/1 | 33/1 | 16/1 | 22/1 |
| Boston Red Sox | 22/1 | 9/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 | 16/1 | 25/1 |
| Seattle Mariners | 18/1 | 14/1 | 16/1 | 12/1 | 33/1 | 25/1 |
| Minnesota Twins | 100/1 | 150/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 25/1 |
| Cleveland Indians | 25/1 | 33/1 | 20/1 | 20/1 | 50/1 | 28/1 |
| San Diego Padres | 66/1 | 40/1 | 14/1 | 18/1 | 20/1 | 33/1 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 20/1 | 18/1 | 33/1 | 33/1 | 28/1 | 40/1 |
| Chicago White Sox | 40/1 | 28/1 | 16/1 | 16/1 | 50/1 | 40/1 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 33/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 50/1 | 40/1 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 33/1 | 18/1 | 25/1 | 25/1 | 33/1 | 50/1 |
| Texas Rangers | 33/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 250/1 | 66/1 |
| Oakland Athletics | 20/1 | 40/1 | 28/1 | 25/1 | 33/1 | 100/1 |
| Miami Marlins | 50/1 | 33/1 | 33/1 | 33/1 | 66/1 | 150/1 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 33/1 | 40/1 | 66/1 | 50/1 | 66/1 | 150/1 |
| Atlanta Braves | 22/1 | 28/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 66/1 | 150/1 |
| Colorado Rockies | 100/1 | 100/1 | 150/1 | 100/1 | 75/1 | 250/1 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 100/1 | 75/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 200/1 | 250/1 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 40/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 250/1 | 500/1 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 75/1 | 150/1 | 150/1 | 150/1 | 500/1 | 500/1 |
Following are League title odds.
| Odds to win AL Championship | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | Odds to win NL Championship | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | |
| Kansas City Royals | 14/1 | 14/1 | 15/4 | 13/4 | Washington Nationals | 3/1 | 3/1 | 11/2 | 13/4 | |
| Detroit Tigers | 8/1 | 8/1 | 7/2 | 11/2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 9/2 | 9/2 | 3/1 | 7/2 | |
| Houston Astros | 28/1 | 28/1 | 9/1 | 7/1 | St. Louis Cardinals | 6/1 | 6/1 | 7/2 | 4/1 | |
| Los Angeles Angels | 6/1 | 13/2 | 12/1 | 9/1 | San Francisco Giants | 8/1 | 8/1 | 10/1 | 5/1 | |
| New York Yankees | 14/1 | 14/1 | 7/1 | 10/1 | Chicago Cubs | 15/2 | 7/1 | 8/1 | 7/1 | |
| Seattle Mariners | 7/1 | 11/2 | 14/1 | 11/1 | New York Mets | 14/1 | 14/1 | 15/2 | 9/1 | |
| Boston Red Sox | 11/2 | 11/2 | 7/1 | 12/1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 14/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 | 11/1 | |
| Minnesota Twins | 50/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 12/1 | San Diego Padres | 15/2 | 7/1 | 10/1 | 16/1 | |
| Cleveland Indians | 9/1 | 9/1 | 25/1 | 14/1 | Atlanta Braves | 28/1 | 28/1 | 28/1 | 66/1 | |
| Baltimore Orioles | 14/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 | 20/1 | Cincinnati Reds | 28/1 | 28/1 | 28/1 | 66/1 | |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 28/1 | 28/1 | 22/1 | 20/1 | Miami Marlins | 16/1 | 16/1 | 33/1 | 66/1 | |
| Chicago White Sox | 15/2 | 15/2 | 28/1 | 22/1 | Colorado Rockies | 75/1 | 50/1 | 33/1 | 100/1 | |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 10/1 | 12/1 | 16/1 | 22/1 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 50/1 | 50/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | |
| Texas Rangers | 22/1 | 22/1 | 125/1 | 28/1 | Milwaukee Brewers | 33/1 | 33/1 | 100/1 | 200/1 | |
| Oakland Athletics | 12/1 | 12/1 | 16/1 | 40/1 | Philadelphia Phillies | 75/1 | 75/1 | 200/1 | 200/1 |
Next are the six division chases.
| Odds to Win AL East | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | Odds to Win NL East | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | |
| New York Yankees | 9/2 | 9/2 | 9/4 | 13/5 | Washington Nationals | 1/3 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1/4 | |
| Boston Red Sox | 2/1 | 2/1 | 2/1 | 3/1 | New York Mets | 5/1 | 6/1 | 2/1 | 13/4 | |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 7/1 | 7/1 | 13/2 | 7/2 | Atlanta Braves | 16/1 | 25/1 | 16/1 | 10/1 | |
| Baltimore Orioles | 7/2 | 3/1 | 4/1 | 4/1 | Miami Marlins | 6/1 | 6/1 | 10/1 | 50/1 | |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 11/4 | 3/1 | 9/2 | 4/1 | Philadelphia Phillies | 50/1 | 50/1 | 100/1 | 500/1 | |
| Odds to Win AL Central | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | Odds to Win NL Central | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | |
| Kansas City Royals | 9/2 | 9/2 | 11/10 | 1/1 | St. Louis Cardinals | 5/4 | 13/10 | 4/9 | 1/3 | |
| Detroit Tigers | 9/4 | 11/5 | 11/10 | 2/1 | Chicago Cubs | 5/2 | 3/1 | 7/2 | 4/1 | |
| Minnesota Twins | 18/1 | 18/1 | 20/1 | 5/1 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 11/4 | 12/5 | 9/2 | 9/2 | |
| Cleveland Indians | 11/5 | 12/5 | 12/1 | 9/1 | Cincinnati Reds | 12/1 | 12/1 | 20/1 | 33/1 | |
| Chicago White Sox | 9/4 | 12/5 | 12/1 | 14/1 | Milwaukee Brewers | 12/1 | 10/1 | 100/1 | 200/1 | |
| Odds to Win AL West | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | Odds to Win NL West | 3/4/15 | 4/1/15 | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | |
| Houston Astros | 16/1 | 12/1 | 9/5 | 3/2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/3 | 2/5 | |
| Los Angeles Angels | 8/5 | 9/5 | 12/5 | 2/1 | San Francisco Giants | 7/2 | 5/1 | 11/2 | 11/5 | |
| Seattle Mariners | 8/5 | 5/4 | 6/1 | 11/4 | San Diego Padres | 7/2 | 7/2 | 4/1 | 9/1 | |
| Texas Rangers | 7/1 | 12/1 | 33/1 | 7/1 | Colorado Rockies | 50/1 | 18/1 | 33/1 | 66/1 | |
| Oakland Athletics | 9/2 | 4/1 | 5/1 | 50/1 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 33/1 | 20/1 | 100/1 | 66/1 |
Finally, we have the NL MVP and Cy Young lists.
| Odds to Win NL CY Young | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | Odds to Win NL MVP | 5/6/15 | 6/3/15 | |
| Max Scherzer | 11/2 | 3/1 | Bryce Harper | NL | 2/1 | |
| Clayton Kershaw | 11/5 | 7/2 | Paul Goldschmidt | 3/1 | 4/1 | |
| Zack Greinke | 9/2 | 9/2 | Adrian Gonzalez | 7/2 | 9/2 | |
| Gerritt Cole | 9/1 | 5/1 | Anthony Rizzo | 10/1 | 15/2 | |
| Michael Wacha | 10/1 | 9/1 | Matt Carpenter | 9/1 | 12/1 | |
| Madison Bumgarner | 10/1 | 12/1 | Giancarlo Stanton | 9/1 | 12/1 | |
| Shelby Miller | 12/1 | 16/1 | Andrew McCutchen | 10/1 | 12/1 | |
| Jacob deGrom | NL | 16/1 | Todd Frazier | NL | 14/1 | |
| A.J. Burnett | 50/1 | 16/1 | Justin Upton | 20/1 | 16/1 | |
| Matt Harvey | 15/2 | 20/1 | Kris Bryant | NL | 16/1 | |
| Cole Hamels | NL | 25/1 | Dee Gordon | 6/1 | 20/1 | |
| James Shields | 33/1 | 33/1 | Joey Votto | 11/2 | 33/1 | |
| Bartolo Colon | 20/1 | 50/1 | Freddie Freeman | 20/1 | NL | |
| Francisco Liriano | 16/1 | NL |
As the season continues, the 2015 odds will shift and shift again. I will present periodic updates as warranted.
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