The Cardinals’ recent mini-surge, in which they have won six of nine games to stand at .500, has some fans and sports-talk radio gabbers discussing the team’s playoff possibilities.
Although they still trailed National League Central Division-leading Milwaukee by 6½ games entering the weekend, they had moved above the cut line in the battle for a wild-card playoff slot in the mostly mediocre NL. It’s so mediocre that through Thursday only four of the 15 teams were above .500.
But while the standings say the Cards are in the thick of the wild-card chase, the oddsmakers’ numbers indicate otherwise.
Entering the weekend, two of the three walk-in legal sportsbooks in the area had posted prices on them making the playoffs, and the Redbirds were in the red at both — nearly a 2-1 underdog at one shop.
DraftKings (Casino Queen in East ºüÀêÊÓƵ) was requiring betters to risk $190 to try to win $100 if wagering that the Cards would not reach the postseason field. Conversely, folks putting up $100 on the Redbirds to qualify would make a $160 profit if correct.
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FanDuel (horse track in Collinsville) was not taking bets on the Cards to be miss the tournament but was booking action on them getting in, with a successful $100 bet there being rewarded with at $182 profit.
The Cardinals also remain longshots to win any title. To wit:
The odds on them claiming the NL Central crown ranged from 5-1 at Argosy (casino in Alton) to 5½-1 at DraftKings and 6-1 at FanDuel.
The price on them to win the National League pennant was 25-1 at DraftKings, 35-1 at Argosy and FanDuel.
Thinking really big, their World Series-winning return was 60-1 at DraftKings and Argosy, 75-1 at FanDuel.
The varying prices underscore the importance of shopping around before betting.
Getting relief
The Cardinals have had a number of underachievers this season, but closer Ryan Helsley is not one of them.
He leads the majors in saves, with 25, and entered the weekend three ahead of the runner-up — Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase. Helsley was even more dominant over the National League field, four saves ahead of Kyle Finnegan of the Nationals and six ahead of the man in third place, Raisel Iglesias of the Braves.
That puts Helsley squarely in the favorite’s role to win the NL Reliever of the Year award in odds offered at FanDuel, the only walk-in shop in the area with wagers being accepted on capturing that honor.
The price there as of Friday afternoon on Helsley prevailing was +155, meaning a winning $100 bet would reap a profit of $155. Next on the list was San Diego’s Robert Suarez, who had seven fewer saves than Helsley but a far superior ERA (1.17 compared to 2.45 — plus superior figures in opponents’ batting average and WHIP). His won-loss record was 4-1; Helsley is 2-3.
The price on Suarez winning the award was 3-1 and he was followed by Finnegan and Iglesias at 7½-1 each.
Helsley has converted 25 consecutive save opportunities, a Cardinals record, with his only blown chance coming in the team’s season opener. He has walked seven men over his last five innings and allowed only two runs over his last eight innings — both in a tie game he entered and was charged with the loss.
Suarez also has just one blown save chance and had walked just one over his last 8â…“ innings of work. Through Thursday, he has allowed just three earned runs since the beginning of April across 28â…“ innings.
Wallet whackers
Last year, City SC won 17 of its 34 matches in its inaugural Major League Soccer season, and because many of the victories were at long odds for the upstart team the return was quite handsome for those who backed them at the betting windows.
In fact it was so glittering for those who wagered on them using the three-way line, which includes picking the game to end in a draw as well as selecting either team to win, that a $100 bet on them each time would have resulted in a $1,247 profit if using the most favorable price available among the area shops.
What a difference a year makes. City SC’s 3-0 loss at home Wednesday night to Colorado, in a match it had been favored to win, dropped the club to 3-6-9 — a measly three wins in 18 games, with those nine ties. The club has won just one of its last 10 outings, and has been shut out in its last three contests.
That has led to a bankroll-busting loss of $1,018 for the three-way line City bettors, giving back most of the profits of last year.
City is back at it Saturday night when it entertains Atlanta, which is 5-8-5 and the home team is favored. As of Friday afternoon the most favorable three-way line among the three area walk-in shops on City to win was -117, at Argosy. That means a successful $100 risk would reap an $85 profit.