This week, Danny went over the Vegas odds for the four major sports in 2020:
As we wait to see if sports will ever officially continue in 2020, I thought it would be interesting to check out the Vegas odds on each of the four major championships.
Outside of the NFL, part of me feels like I need to take a refresher course on the NBA, NHL, and MLB in order to reacquaint myself with the best teams in every league. It’s only been a couple months since we saw an NBA or NHL game, but it feels like longer. And for MLB, I barely remember anything that happened in the 2019 season.
So, for now, I’m relying on these Vegas odds to get my up to speed.
First, in the NBA, Vegas has LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers as the favorite to win the NBA Championship, at +225, inside the Disney bubble in Orlando. The LA Clippers have the second-best odds at +300.
Neither the 49-win Lakers or the 44-win Clippers have the best record in the NBA though. That belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks at 53-12. The Bucks have the third-best odds to win the NBA Championship at +300.
Then it gets interesting. The Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets are tied for the fourth-best odds to win it all at +1200. The C’s are the No. 3 seed in the East with 43 wins, while the Rockets are the No. 6 seed in the West with 40 wins.
The defending NBA Champion Toronto Raptors have the fifth-best odds at +2500, while the Philadelphia 76ers have the sixth-best odds at +2800.
If I had to put my money on it right now, I’d probably take the Lakers at +225. But I’d also be very tempted to take the Clippers at +300.
Here’s a bonus bet I would definitely take right now: The Celtics to win the East at +650. The Bucks are the favorites to win the East at -200, but +650 are some pretty intriguing odds for a young enough and talented enough team that might not feel the effects of a four-month shutdown like other teams will.
In the NHL, the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning are tied for the best odds to hoist the Stanley Cup at +650. The Colorado Avalanche have the second-best odds at +700, followed by the Vegas Golden Knights at +800, the Philadelphia Flyers at +900, the defending champion St. Louis Blues at +1200, the Washington Capitals at +1500, and the Pittsburgh Penguins at +1600.
Honestly, given the circumstances, I don’t think the Stanley Cup Playoffs will ever be more wide open than they will be if and when the 2019-20 season resumes. Playoff hockey is always the most “just get in” tournament as it is. But now you factor in empty, neutral arenas with teams getting four months off to hit the reset button?
This year’s quest for the Cup could be the most chaotic playoffs we’ve ever seen in hockey. Chaotic, in a good way.
I’m going with a sneaky pick here though, and taking the Flyers at +900.
In MLB, I’m not sure it’s even worth giving you the odds for the 2020 World Series, because it doesn’t sound like those in baseball are very optimistic that the 2020 season will be played. But in case it is, here’s what Vegas is thinking.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently the favorite in a shortened season to win the 2020 World Series at +375. The New York Yankees have the second-best odds at +450, followed by the Houston Astros at +1200, the Minnesota Twins at +2000, the Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics at +2200, and the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals at +2500.
That’s actually a pretty wild list of teams at the top of Vegas’ 2020 MLB odds. You know what though? I’ll take the Astros at +1200. Great odds for a very talented team, even after all the sign-stealing drama. Everyone is stealing signs. I expect the Astros to be playing with an “us vs the World” chip on their shoulder. That makes their roster extremely dangerous, especially in a shortened season.
And then, finally, we have the NFL. As of now, the NFL is expected to play its entire regular-season as originally scheduled, making it the only league that will see no interruptions to its gameplay.
We’re used to seeing the New England Patriots at the top of Vegas’ Super Bowl odds. But obviously now things are different, with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. I still can’t even believe I have to say that.
Anyways, the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs are the favorite to repeat and win Super Bowl LV, at +750, which will take place in Tampa. The Baltimore Ravens have the second-best odds at +800. The New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are tied for the third-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +1200, followed by the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers at +2000, and the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots all at +2500.
Imagine that, the Patriots entering a season with the same Super Bowl odds as the Bills. Crazy. Back to reality here in New England, I guess.
But I’m doing it. I’m taking Brady and the Buccaneers to win it all at +1200.
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