Rays Vs Red Sox ALDS Odds And Betting Preview – Battle Of Division Foes

There is nothing like postseason baseball.  Each game presents a new dramatic storyline, and fans are living and dying on every pitch.

Florida’s own Tampa Bay Rays begin their hunt for a World Series championship on Thursday night against the Boston Red Sox (Fox, 8:07 p.m. ET).  Boston is a familiar opponent, as both teams compete in the American League East division.

The Rays won the AL East by a comfortable margin of 8.0 games with a record of 100-62.  It was a historic regular season for Tampa Bay, as they reached 100-wins for the first time ever.

The Red Sox finished with a 92-70 record.  They got a big win in the Wild Card Game against the Yankees by a score of 6-2 on Tuesday night.  This is sure to be an entertaining series, and what better way to enhance the excitement than with a little betting action?

Rays-Red Sox ALDS Odds

When it comes to betting the MLB postseason, various sportsbooks offer different ways to bet.  It is important to shop around to see what each sportsbook offers.

In a postseason series, not only can bettors bet on each individual game, but on the series as a whole.  On DraftKings, the Rays are -165 to win this ALDS matchup against the Red Sox.  On the other side, Boston is +140 to win the series and advance to the ALCS.

FanDuel takes it a step further.  There, bettors can select not only who they think will win the series, but in how many games.  In a five-game ALDS, the first team to three wins advances.  If you think the Rays will sweep 3-0, that can be found at +460.  If you think the Rays win in five, that can be found at +280.  The chart below breaks it down:

PointsBet even lets you pick the total number of games, regardless of the winner.  A three-games series is listed at +275, a four-game series is +150, and a five-game series is +155.

Game 1 Odds And Preview

The Red Sox have some momentum coming off their Wild Card win, and they have now won four games in a row.  On the other side, the Rays have not played since Sunday.  They are well-rested, and their bullpen is stocked with a plethora of talented, fresh arms.

The Rays send left-handed rookie Shane McClanahan to the mound in Game 1 on Thursday.  McClanahan became a force to be reckoned with this season, as his triple-digit fastball and devastating slider gave opposing hitters a ton of problems.  On the year, McClanahan made 25 starts going 10-6 with a 3.43 ERA and .252 BAA.

McClanahan made three starts against Boston this season.  He went 1-1 with a strong 2.81 ERA through 16.0 innings of work.  He last saw them on September 8, tossing 5.0 scoreless frames while allowing just three hits on 68 pitches.

As of this publishing, the Red Sox have not named a starting pitcher.  It is recommended that bettors keep an eye on who the starter will be, as the odds could change.

The chart below shows the betting breakdown on DraftKings for Game 1 as of Wednesday afternoon.

Also read: Your Guide To Florida Retail Casinos

Rays-Red Sox Betting Trends

Postseason baseball is a much different animal than regular season baseball, but there are still some noteworthy trends to consider.

• The Rays went 11-8 against the Red Sox during the regular season
• Boston is 2-7 in their last nine trips to Tampa Bay
• The OVER went 12-7 in the 19 matchups between these teams this season
• The OVER went 83-71-8 for the Rays this season, but was 38-40-3 at Tropicana Field
• The UNDER was 46-34-1 for the Red Sox on the road this season
• The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these teams at Tropicana Field

Rays Futures

The futures market is a great way to get involved in MLB postseason betting.  Along with the ALDS, sportsbooks offer American League and National League title odds, along with World Series title odds.

After falling short in last year’s World Series, the Rays are looking to take the final step this October.  The chart below shows a breakdown of the futures market for the Rays on notable sportsbooks:

This has already been an eventful postseason to watch unfold, and the drama will only be heightened with each game.  Putting a little betting action down only makes things more interesting.  Take a look around at the various sportsbooks to see what bets you prefer, then sit back and enjoy the action.  Best of luck!