ALCS Odds and Betting Picks: Yankees vs. Astros
The Divisional rounds have come to an end and the ALCS odds are set with the series beginning Saturday. The Yankees swept the Twins but Tampa Bay took Houston to Game 5 where the Astros eventually prevailed. Let’s take a look at ALCS odds and betting picks as the Houston Astros take on the New York Yankees
ALCS Odds and Betting Picks — Astros vs. Yankees
Series Odds
- Houston Astros -174 (use our FanDuel Sportsbook promo code to get these odds)
- New York Yankees +148 (FD)
The ALCS features the most anticipated matchup of the MLB playoffs. The Yankees and the Astros have been on a crash course to meet in this series all season. The two teams are the model of consistency and both were able to navigate through injuries to finish as the two best teams in the American League. Both the Yankees and the Astros feature deep offenses that do not offer easy outs to an opposing pitching staff. The Astros strength comes in the form of starting pitching while the Yankees is in the back half of their bullpen.
I like the Yankees as a +148 underdog to win this series. They’re the hotter team at this point in the season, making lightwork of a Minnesota Twins team that won 101 games. Meanwhile, the Astros struggled a bit with a 96 win Rays team that had the lowest payroll in baseball. Obviously, the Rays were no slouch, but I think most people were surprised to see the Yankees handle such an explosive Twins team with ease while the Astros struggled with a team that lacked star power.
Another reason I like the Yankees is the bullpen factor. Yes, the Astros starting pitching is elite. But as manager Aaron Boone said, his guys are savages in that box. The Yankees are very good at grinding out at bats and making opposing pitchers work. If they can manage to do that, they’ll get into the one weakness the Astros have: the bullpen. The Yankees ability to turn the baseball over to elite guys at the end of games is the key advantage they have over the Astros, and it will give them a good chance to win the series and bettors a good chance to cash +148 ALCS betting tickets.
Regardless of who wins in either series, I think the two teams in the American League are clearly more talented than the two in the National league. In my opinion, the World Series champion resides in the AL. Since I like the Yankees to win the AL, I also like them to win the World Series at +310 odds at FanDuel.
ALCS Picks: New York Yankees +148 (use our FanDuel Sportsbook promo code to get these odds)
World Series Futures Odds
Speaking of World Series bets, here’s a quick look at World Series futures odds and the best prices at various online sports betting sites for the four remaining MLB playoff teams.
- Houston Astros +175 at William Hill
- New York Yankees +310 at FanDuel
- Washington Nationals +470 at FanDuel
- St. Louis Cardinals +500 at PointsBet (use our PointsBet promo code to get these odds)
A few takeaways: William Hill is by far the best place to bet on the World Series favorites. The Houston Astros drop down to +120 at DraftKings and PointsBet. That’s a big difference from +175. If you’re looking to take one of the longshots in the NL then check out FanDuel and PointsBet. For my Yankees bet, we’re getting a good price at FanDuel relative to other online sports betting sites.
For more general MLB betting tips check out our MLB Betting Picks Strategy Guide.
Image Credit: USA Today Sports Images