The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs have two of the biggest storied franchises in the MLB. And although both teams seem to be in a bit of a retool in order to get back to contention, the latest report on MLB futures shows bettors are losing up on Red Sox & Cubs bets before Opening Day next week.
Most Bet MLB Futures: Red Sox & Cubs Futures Lead the Way
DraftKings Sportsbook has released the win/loss totals for each team coming into the year, which always gets a ton of attention from hopeful fanbases looking to take their team’s over. The top five most bet overs are the Red Sox (78.5 wins), Orioles (76.5 wins), Cubs (77.5 wins), Diamondbacks, (74.5 wins) and Royals (69.5 wins).
The Cubs come into Opening Day hoping to take the next step in their rebuild. They were able to put together a winning second-half record last season despite finishing a disappointing 74-88. Now, the Cubs’ young, unproven core will look to take the next step in 2023. They were able to make a big splash in the offseason when signing shortstop Dansby Swanson, also adding catcher Tucker Barnhart, pitcher Jameson Taillon and center fielder Cody Bellinger.
Manager David Ross said recently that he’s not going to put a label on what a successful season would look like on the North Side of Chicago, but he remains ‘optimistic’ about what his group can accomplish.
‘‘I have optimism in everything that I do and have gone in with the highest of expectations every single year that I’ve had this job,’’ Ross said earlier in the offseason, per SI. ‘‘But are those expectations more realistic now? Probably so. We still have to have a lot of things go right. I don’t get as excited, maybe, as the fans might with the names we’ve brought in because I know how much work we still have to do, the holes we still need to fill.”
For the Red Sox, this season also profiles as a transition type of year. They said goodbye to star shortstop Xander Bogaerts in the offseason when he opted to sign a megadeal with the San Diego Padres, also losing Christian Vázquez, Nate Eovaldi and J.D. Martinez. But the team was able to agree to terms on an extension for third baseman Rafael Devers, also adding veterans Corey Kluber and Justin Turner to the mix.
With the season right around the corner, it is no surprise that optimistic feelings are taking over for a lot of fan bases out there. Based on the latest MLB futures report, the Cubs and Red Sox faithful are thinking they’ll be able to celebrate more wins than sportsbooks think.
Legal Betting Age is 21+ in Most States. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler
