What were the odds and payout had been if you bet on the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks to make it to the World Series at the beginning of the season?
Great question.
Some lucky hope-springs-eternal futures bettors did well for themselves on the Rangers, especially, but also the Diamondbacks in what was widely touted as "one of the most improbable World Series matchups ever." In fact, according to SportsOddsHistory.com, only the 1991 World Series between the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves was an unlikelier matchup.
After all, combined, the Rangers and Diamondbacks had the fewest regular-season wins in any World Series matchup ever and that goes back all the way to 1903! Both teams lost more than 100 games in the 2021 season and they had the most combined losses of any teams making it to the World Series within two years of that loss total.
Before the season started, the odds on the Dbacks were 180-1 to 200-1 to win the World Series at the books and according to ESPN, only 1% of futures bets were on them last March. Though the oddsmakers gave the Rangers a better chance to win, 50-1, only a little action came in on them as well.
As for the two teams playing each other in the World Series, that went off at 1,750-1 at BetMGM.
ESPN found a "veteran sports bettor" who, though he didn't get in early enough for the 1,750-1, did make a bet on the Rangers beating the Dbacks at 400-1. On his $200 bet, he would've won $80,000, but he hedged on Arizona and wound up with a $50K lock.
Another bettor got down $500 on the Diamondbacks to the win it all at 500-1. That would've paid off $90,000. He made a $25,000 hedge bet and netted nearly $15,000 -- plus the wild ride up to losing that longshot in five games.
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kafka45
Nov-09-2023
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Hoppy
Nov-09-2023
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