While the first half of the White Sox season has been a bit underwhelming relative to some lofty preseason expectations (4th-best odds to win the World Series before the season), their postseason hopes remain very much alive (-140 odds to make the playoffs at the All-Star break) thanks to the mediocrity of the AL Central.
In this edition of the gambling roundup, we recap the season’s first-half gambling stats and take a look at some interesting futures bets for the second half of the season.
The Sox On 35th season-long gambling tracker is available at this link.
6/14 to 7/17 Stats
White Sox W/L Record: 18-15
White Sox ATS Record: 18-15
White Sox O/U Record: 14-16-3
First Half Stats
White Sox W/L Record: 46-46 (12th worst in baseball)
White Sox ATS Record: 43-49 (9th worst in baseball)
White Sox O/U Record: 43-45-4 (15th best/worst in baseball)
Starter K’s O/U: 42-41 (not every game has a strikeout line for the starting pitcher)
First Half Takeaways
What can be seen by looking at these numbers from a broad perspective? It sure looks like a lot of disappointment, in a way emblematic of the White Sox season so far. The Sox home/road splits have been particularly frustrating and confusing this season, with the Sox having an ugly 14-30 (31.8% cover rate) record ATS at home in the first half. The Sox were road warriors in the season’s first half, however, with a 29-19 (60.4% cover rate) record ATS.
Bettors ought to use a bit of caution when placing a spread wager on the White Sox at home in the season’s second half until there are some noticeable changes in the team’s home performance.
Second Half Futures Bets Outlook
AL Central Odds
- White Sox season-opening odds to win the AL Central: -200
- White Sox odds to win the AL Central now: +115 (bet $100, win $115)
The White Sox have remained among the AL Central favorites despite their slow start to this season. With a second-half schedule that ranks among the easiest in all of baseball, the Sox may have tread water long enough to finally take command of the division. The roster appears to be getting healthier in addition to the offense finally appearing on the upswing.
+115 odds are a great value for those that are bullish on the White Sox second-half outlook.
Cy Young Odds
- Dylan Cease season-opening odds to win the AL Cy Young: +1400
- Dylan Cease odds to win the AL Cy Young now: +900 (bet $100, win $900)
Notable All-Star snub Dylan Cease has been terrific over his last 10 starts, with a dazzling line of 0.47 ERA, 58.0 IP, 34 H, 13 R, 3 ER, 29 BB, and 79 K. He leads the American League in strikeouts and is currently third in ERA. Cease currently has the 3rd best odds to win the award, slotting in behind Shane McClanahan and Justin Verlander. If Cease continues this run of dominance, he’s setting himself up for a strong second-half push to take home the hardware.
The #CyCease movement still has plenty of life to it, and there’s still time to hop on board and make some serious cash!
As the White Sox embark on the second half of the season, more trends will emerge and hopefully, some cash will be made!
Let us know if you’ve noticed any interesting trends throughout the first half in preparation for the next 70 games.
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Featured Image: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
