by Ben Perks
The Houston Astros face the Atlanta Braves at home for Game 1 on Tuesday. After defeating the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, the Astros are heavy favorites to win the MLB World Series. This year will be the third time Houston has competed in the Fall Classic since 2016. Atlanta beat the LA Dodgers in Game 6 to make their first World Series appearance since 1999. Get insights and the latest odds for the biggest series in baseball.
Game 1 of the MLB World Series
This Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros begin the World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Braves will likely start former Astro Charlie Morton. Therefore, Houston will turn to left-hander Framber Valdez in Game 1. Check our MLB Sportsbetting online page for betting specials.
Braves go into the first game as +113 underdogs – however, they have been comfortable with this tag in previous postseason games. Overall, expect the bats to show up and plenty of runs scored throughout this game. Because Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, and Eddie Rosario will face Houston’s Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker, we could see the over hit often in this series.
This baseball game should be exciting, close and will undoubtedly set the tone for the World Series.
MLB World Series Winning Odds
| Team | Odds | Opening Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | -140 | +2200 |
| Atlanta Braves | +117 | +1000 |
*Odds provided by Bovada. All odds are correct on October 26 and subject to change.
Why Are the Astros Favorites?
After destroying the Chicago White Sox in the first round and ending the Boston Red Sox’s run in six games in the ALCS, most online sportsbooks have the Houston Astros as -140 favorites to win the World Series. Although Houston starter Lance McCullers jr is out injured, Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia are more than capable of making up for his absence.
Many expect Valdez to have two starts during the series after delivering eight innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox to lead Houston to an ALCS victory. Even if the Astros’ pitching staff falters, their lineup is so explosive that they should still have enough to beat the Atlanta Braves. Kyle Tucker is the lead MLB hitter with 15 postseason RBIs (runs batted in), and Yordan Alvarez has an OBP (on-base percentage) of .535 in the playoffs.
Can the Braves Pull Off an Upset?
Although the Atlanta Braves are +117 underdogs to win the World Series, they have a talent for winning against the odds. The Braves saw off the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Division Series to head to the NLCS. In this series, they secured a 4-2 victory over defending champions Los Angeles Dodgers.
Because of the outstanding pitching performances from Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, and Max Fried, along with excellent bullpen work, they have successfully avoided elimination games in this 2021 postseason. If the new deadline additions – Jorge Soler, Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall, and Eddie Rosario – can continue carrying the Atlanta offense, the Braves could win the World Series.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
