Orioles enormous wagering underdogs today
In an hour or so, the Orioles will play the Red Sox in a game that is so lopsided that the Las Vegas odds are absolutely off the charts.
On a Web site that charts such things, the Orioles-Red Sox opened at plus-210 (Baltimore) and minus-230 (Boston). The quick primer on baseball odds means that if a bettor wants to wager on the Orioles, he or she needs to invest 100 clam shells to win 210. On the other hand, if the wager is on Boston to win, the investment must be 230 to win 100.
Here's the news, since the open, the odds at some Las Vegas casinos have moved to plus-280, minus-360. That means that now if you want to wager on Boston to win, you would have to invest a whopping 360 clam shells just to win 100. Folks, I gotta tell you that's one heck of a move that's obviously predicated on how much money has moved on the Red Sox.
To put this in perspective, you'll mostly see baseball favorites listed at minus-120, minus-140, minus-160. The next biggest odds difference today is the Astros-Cubs where I noticed that Chicago, as the favorite, was listed at minus-240.
The huge Orioles-Red Sox odds are mostly about the pitching mismatch. Boston has Daisuke Matsuzaka (16-2) pitching while the Orioles will start out with Lance Cormier and hold their breath and keep their fingers crossed.
Comments
The odds heavily favored the Red Sox for many reasons besides starting pitching. We've seen the late season collapse before. Less than a month ago, this team had the chance to end the season close to 500. That is all but a dream now.
Posted by: Dave | September 3, 2008 5:17 PM
As long as Dave Trembly is at the helm, pulling good pitching at the wrong time, then we ain't gonna win. It's that simple. Cormier throws 32 pitches and he yanks him? I know what Trembly said pregame but come on Dave. Then Sarfate throws well for a change and he yanks him in favor of Jamie "Home Run" Walker. This is disgusting and I've been a fan since 1958.
Posted by: budc | September 3, 2008 7:10 PM
I didn't have any dog in the fight (didn't place a bet), but it was fun to vicariously live and die with each pitch. That was quite a spread. Unfortunately the game ended on a rookie error.
But it was fun to sweat along with the Bosox bettors.
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Drew,
How about that ... the Orioles nearly pulled it off but those guys in Vegas know what they're doing, don't they.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: drewdy | September 3, 2008 9:36 PM