Stuck on how to bet on the 2022 ALCS and NLCS? You've come to the right place because we have a breakdown of each series below. Keep reading to get our best bets to advance to the 2022 MLB World Series.
National League: San Diego Padres vs. Philadelphia Phillies Series Pick
Both these two teams upset their way into the NLCS. First, the Phillies disposed of the reigning World Series champions, the Braves. Then there's the Padres, who beat both NL betting favorites back-to-back — first the Mets and then the Dodgers (San Diego won five of six games against these two NL powerhouses). And now, we get this underdog showdown. Before Game 1, the Padres were slight favorites, but that's flipped now after a 2-0 victory for the Phillies in the season opener. Here's how the most-used betting sites for baseball have the odds currently pegged:
As always with the postseason, you have to start with pitching — which both teams have an abundance of. Philadelphia has the better starters up top, with both Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler being as filthy as it gets (No. 3 man Ranger Suarez isn't a pushover either). San Diego has Yu Darvish, the streaky-hot Joe Musgrove, and Blake Snell going 1-2-3 for them, which is almost on par. However, in the bullpen, the Padres definitely have the edge. Relief pitchers Robert Suarez and Joe Hader have been sure things as of late for San Diego, compared to the Philly's mix-and-match bullpen.
With pitching almost being a wash for both sides (as was reflected in Game 1), this pennant battle could come down to which offense can make the two or three extra hits that tilt this series. If Philadelphia's lineup can somewhat continue what they did to Atlanta, then watch out. Against a 101-win club, the Phillies poured seven, nine, and eight runs on each of its three victories.
We're starting to worry about the Padres bats — and that's even before they were blanked and almost no-hit in Game 1 of the NLCS. In the first two rounds of the playoffs, their team scoring average was a smidge over five runs per game. And that's with them scoring more home runs than average too. During the regular season, they ranked 12th in the NL in long bombs, despite all the money they've shelled out in the lineup.
Our money is going on Philly here. While we would've loved to get their odds at plus-money, as it was before the series started, we still think getting them -185 is worthwhile. This team is clicking on all cylinders besides the bullpen. However, given how the starting pitchers are throwing, they might not be as reliant on relievers as one would think. Get on this Phillies' betting line right away because if they go up 2-0, then the odds will get way too lopsided.
American League: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees Series Pick
New York survived a five-game ALDS battle with Cleveland to punch their ticket to the ALCS, but at what cost is the question? Houston swept Seattle in their ALDS matchup and will enter this face-off on multiple days of rest. Given that, it's no surprise that bookmakers have pegged the Astros as substantial betting favorites over the Yankees before Game 1. Here's where the odds sit:
Houston's rest advantage should pay dividends, especially early on. On the mound, they'll have Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez as the Game 1 and 2 starters, respectively. It's the same order they had in the ALDS. New York, however, will have to trot out Jameson Taillon (who has never started a game in the postseason) before resetting the order later on.
Honestly, the Bronx Bombers are in big trouble. Not only are they more fatigued, but let's face it, the Astros have their number, especially in October. In the last seven years, Houston has eliminated New York from the postseason on three different occasions. In seven regular-season meetings during 2022, the Astros won five games. Oh, and did we mention Houston also owns the home-field advantage in this one? All things considered, it's going to take an almost herculean effort from the Yankees to win the ALCS.
Bet on the Astros here and don't think twice about it. We're actually a lot more confident in this bet than the NLCS in case you want to deploy more capital into this wager (at lesser odds too). Expect a Houston vs. Philadelphia showdown in the Fall Classic.
How To Bet On 2022 MLB Conference Series?
You don't want to wait any longer to bet on the 2022 MLB conference series because they are ongoing as you read this. That means the MLB odds we've outlined above will be in flux with every new result. To get on these opportunities, hit one of the bookmakers we've listed below. As indicated in our unbiased sportsbook reviews, these sites are among the best in whole industry.
One area where each of them shines is in the free-play sportsbook bonus department. You could earn hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play of these bonuses — money you can spend freely on MLB bets. See the table underneath to get a guage of what site is offering what type of deal right now.
