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The Oakland Athletics finished a dismal 50-112 last season, but this season will be a historic one for the franchise. The team plans to relocate to Las Vegas after its lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires following the 2024 season, becoming the 1st American League franchise to relocate since 1972.
The A’s haven’t made the postseason since falling in the American League Divisional Series in 4 games after the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The A’s were 10 games over .500 in 2021, winning 86 games, but they have averaged 107 losses per season in the previous 2 campaigns under manager Mark Kotsay.
There has been no effort by ownership to change anything for this swan song season, and you can expect to see plenty of empty seats, young players earning service time, mostly bad baseball and angry fans. Let’s analyze the Oakland Athletics’ World Series odds, along with their projected win total, playoff, division and AL odds as we make our expert MLB picks and predictions.
Oakland Athletics World Series odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, March 18 at 11:15 a.m. ET.
Odds: +50000 (bet $100 to win $50,000)
The Athletics (+50000) are tied with the Colorado Rockies for the longest odds to win the World Series in the majors.
The Los Angeles Dodgers (+320) are the favorites, followed by the Atlanta Braves (+450), Houston Astros (+700) and New York Yankees (+900).
At +50000, Oakland has an implied probability of winning the World Series of 0.2% or 500/1 fractional odds.
As mentioned, the A’s are tied for the longest odds at +50000. The Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals are next at +25000.
It’s a shame to see what baseball has become in the East Bay. The A’s were once 1 of the most feared teams in the majors. This is the city which had the Bash Brothers — Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. They had Rickey Henderson stealing bases at a feverish pace. They had Storm Davis, Dave Stewart and Bob Welch dealing on the mound, trying to get the ball to closer Dennis Eckersley. Curt Flood, Reggie Jackson and Frank Robinson made stops in Oakland over the years. When the A’s pull out of town, they’ll be taking a lot of baseball history with them.
All A’s fans have will be memories. The 2024 season will be a nightmare, and it’s as if the franchise has already moved. Ownership just hasn’t cared the past couple of seasons, like a real-life Major League movie script.
PASS. Backing the Athletics (+50000) to win the World Series at 500-to-1 is like throwing money away.
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Oakland Athletics playoff odds
Will they make the playoffs: Yes +8000 | No -100000
It’s a shame to see what has happened to this proud franchise, and hopefully Las Vegas really does prove to be an oasis in the desert, where riches and redemption can be found.
For now, there is no hope for the A’s. Again, to steal a line from a famous baseball movie, this is a roster full of has-beens and never-will-bes.
It should go without saying, but No (-100000) is not a recommended play. In other words, you would need to risk $100 just to win 10 cents. Seriously. And Yes (+8000) would be good if you were backing a major league caliber team, but this will be a roster which would struggle to compete at the Triple-A level.
AVOID.
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Oakland Athletics win total
Over/Under: 57.5 (O: -120 | U: -102)
Can the A’s avoid triple-digit losses for a 3rd straight season? It doesn’t look likely. The 112 losses last season were the most since 1916 when the Philadelphia Athletics were 37-117-1. Yes, there were ties in baseball.
The A’s have averaged 55 wins per season in the past 2 campaigns, with an average of 107 losses. The books are expecting the A’s to be a little better than last season, when they managed just 50 victories. Even an improvement of 5 or 6 games would be a big step forward, but that would still net the Under.
UNDER 57.5 WINS (-102) is the play, as this roster is bad, and the worst part is that the ownership doesn’t care.
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To win AL West Division
- Houston Astros -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
- Texas Rangers +210 (bet $100 to win $210)
- Seattle Mariners +300 (bet $100 to win $300)
- Los Angeles Angels +4500 (bet $100 to win $4,500)
- Oakland Athletics +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)
Oakland has an implied probability of winning the AL West of 0.4% or 250/1 fractional odds.
The Astros are the heavy favorites to win the division, with the defending World Series champion Rangers also right there. The Mariners made the postseason in 2023, and will make a push, too. The Angels are likely to be 4th, and the A’s will be holding up the end. AVOID, there is no shot.
To win American League
Odds: +20000 (bet $100 to win $20,000)
The A’s might again challenge for a postseason spot and World Series titles, etc. one day. There are artist renderings of a new, palatial retractable roof on the Strip in Vegas, where Moe Greene is out of The Tropicana, and green and gold will be in. But it isn’t happening in Oakland in 2024.
There isn’t much else to say. This team is bad, and it will be a major upset if Oakland can avoid 100 losses. It isn’t challenging for a playoff spot, and it certainly isn’t championship caliber.
PASS.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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