With names like Babe Ruth immortalizing themselves out on the field and the sport playing such a pivotal role in American culture for over 100 years, baseball is a stalwart of American sports. The National League Championships is a seven-game series that dictates which two teams will progress to the World Series. Often referred to as the “Pennant winner”, the National League Championships showcases the very best in American baseball and provides a strong indicator regarding which team will crown themselves as the World Series winners for that season.
While the bookmakers can often call it right, and finding value in MLB betting can be challenging, that doesn’t mean there isn’t some value in the markets. The top MLB betting sites will offer broad, varied markets that stretch across individual matches, in-play markets and outright winners for either the World Series or the National League Championship.
Atlanta Braves
The Braves deserve their own section; they are the first team to wrap up the regular season and are huge favorites for the World Series this year. It wouldn’t be the first time that the Braves have dazzled MLB fans and had many experts tipping them to win American baseball’s greatest trophy, but it feels like this year could genuinely be their year. After wrapping up their sixth consecutive East title, players like Ronald Acuña Jr. are spearheading a new level of performance.
For a team that has won their regular season division every year since 2018, it might seem a bit of an overstatement to say they have found yet another level to their performance, but having watched them play throughout the regular season, it is a statement that is hard to disagree with.
Currently, the Braves are +240 to win the World Series, so their chances of emerging from the National League Championships are much shorter, and it’d be one of the biggest baseball shocks of a generation if this Braves team didn’t progress to the World Series.
You can browse some of the other markets for this year’s National League Championships, but if you overlook the markets for the Braves, do so at your peril. Although the MLB is arguably the most difficult of sports to predict, given how many surprises there have been in the off-season, particularly since 2018, the Braves should be on their way to completing their ultimate goal of winning the World Series after such a blistering regular season campaign.
Los Angeles Dodgers
No team has appeared in the National League Championships as frequently as the Dodgers, but they have often come up short at this stage, and the bookmakers seem to believe they may run into similar difficulty this year. Aside from the Yankees, the Dodgers have one of the biggest names in American sports.
They have the largest stadium in the country, and with many of the current team and managers remembering their World Series triumph in 2020, they will be keen to knock the Braves off their perch and appear in the World Series once more. At +240, the Dodgers are the second favorites for the National League. Despite the quality on the field and the inspired form of Freddie Freeman, it’d be a surprise to see this Dodgers team come out on top of all the current teams currently playing in the MLB.
The Orioles and The Rays
Making up the rest of the chasing pack are the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays. While teams with higher odds have won the National League and World Series, it’s doubtful that these two teams will perform a similar feat. Both teams are solid and much better than many other franchises in the MLB, but they don’t have the sort of overall quality that the Braves or the Dodgers do to be in contention.
Truthfully, it’s unlikely that the Astros do either, despite being the defending champions and having a set of players that have proven they can battle adversity. Although you’ll find better odds for the Orioles, the Rays managed to oust them in their most recent game, and if there had been more harmony among the Rays this season, they might be a stronger contender for National League or World Series.
If they have a solid finish to this season and continue that form into next year’s pre-season and regular season, they might be able to make a run at the top post-season honors next year. The Orioles are +500 for the National League, and The Rays are +600, but these odds may be subject to change as the National League draws closer, especially considering the Rays’ recent victory over the Orioles.
Post National League outcomes
The Texans will be keen to make it three World Series appearances in a row. After going 1-1 in the finals over the last two years, their pioneering coach, Dusty Baker, is currently polarizing fans with his team selection. The lack of cohesion out on the field has pushed the Astros back to a distant third for the World Series at +500. Although they don’t participate in the National League, the winners of the National League will have their sights on the Astros and how they’re shaping up for another potential World Series appearance.
Despite being the defending World Series Champions, the Astros must defy the odds to defend their title. By all measuring points, the Braves are the team to beat, and it isn’t easy to see anybody matching them in the World Series, never mind the National League. The internet is such a marvelous tool for baseball fans. You can explore the highlights of every game within an hour or so of them finishing, and you can also evaluate large amounts of data to make more informed decisions about your gambling strategy.
However, we must stress that just because you’re an ardent baseball fan or have taken hours or days to dissect information and stats, this doesn’t necessarily give you an edge when betting on baseball. Like any gambling market, whether sports betting or casino gaming, the house has an advantage. As long as you understand that gambling is not a source of income but simply a way to add a bit of entertainment as you watch baseball, you can gamble in the right frame of mind.
Conclusion
As many baseball analysts have stated this season, it is very much a two-horse race between the two leading teams. For the National League, it’s a straight shootout between the Braves and the Dodgers. Some Brewers and Phillies fans might be upset not to see themselves get a mention today, especially Phillies fans after watching their team perform miracles in the National League last season.
However, considering how the Dodgers and the Braves have been playing this year, there are few analysts, if any, that would say that any team outside of these two will win the National League. As we advance towards the World Series, many fans believe this could be one of the most exciting for years. As always, the National League will be able to highlight the quality that could decide who could lift baseball’s most tremendous honor.