NLCS Betting Preview – New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been a first-place team since the first week of April, winning their 11th National League West title in the last 12 years.

The National League Championship Series is exactly where L.A. is supposed to be. They have the game’s most complete player in Shohei Ohtani, as well as two other former MVPs, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. The Dodgers enter each season with a World Series or bust mentality.

The New York Mets were a below .500 team as late as July 8, and from the beginning of the season, they were hopelessly out of the N.L. East division race. As late as June, the Mets were paying +7250 to win the National League.

But not only did the Mets play lights-out in the second half of the season to make the postseason, they beat their rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the NLDS. If New York makes it to the World Series, they will have had the toughest playoff road to get there.

NLCS Schedule

Game 1: Mets at Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 13, 8:15 p.m. ET

Game 2: Mets at Dodgers, Monday, Oct. 14, 4:08 p.m. ET

Game 3: Dodgers at Mets, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 8:08 p.m. ET

Game 4: Dodgers at Mets, Thursday, Oct. 17, TBD

Game 5: Dodgers at Mets, Friday, Oct. 18, TBD (if necessary)

Game 6: Mets at Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 20, TBD (if necessary)

Game 7: Mets at Dodgers, Monday, Oct. 21, TBD (if necessary)

Dodgers Favored to Win Pennant

The Dodgers were the spring training favorite to win the National League pennant, and they remain the favorites seven months later. The Dodgers are paying -180 to win the series, while the Mets are paying +150.

The series is not expected to be fast. Oddsmakers have the Mets making a little noise in the series, with the over of 5.5 games played paying just -180. If the series were to go five games or fewer, you get +145 odds.

A Mets sweep is paying +2200. Mets in five pays +750, in six you get +600, and a Mets win in seven games pays +650.

A Dodgers sweep pays +850. L.A. in five games pays +500, the Dodgers in six pays +390, and if L.A. takes seven games to win the series, that bet also pays +390.

In Sunday’s Game 1, the Dodgers are -162 on the moneyline and they pay +136 on the 1.5 run line. The Mets are +136 on the moneyline and -162 on the 1.5 run line.

Player Props

The Dodgers hit nine home runs in their five-game series win over the San Diego Padres. The Mets hit eight runs in their seven postseason games, which included wins over the Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. In the regular season, the Dodgers hit 233 home runs, good for first in the National League. The Mets hit 207 home runs, which ranked fourth in the league.

Naturally, oddsmakers are offering a proposition bet on which player will hit the most home runs in this series.

Not surprisingly, baseball’s first 50/50 man, Shohei Ohtani, is the favorite at +500. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who is expected to finish second to Ohtani in MVP voting, is at +650. New York third baseman Mark Vientos hit two home runs in the series against the Phillies, and he is paying +700. Two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso is paying +800, while Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy is at +950.

For most total hits in the series, Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias is +400, Betts is +450, Lindor pays +475, Ohtani is paying +750, Dodgers first baseman Freeman For most total hits in the series, Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias is +400, Betts is +450, Lindor pays +475, Ohtani is paying +750, Dodgers first baseman Freeman and For most total hits in the series, Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias is +400, Betts is +450, Lindor pays +475, Ohtani is paying +750, and Dodgers first baseman Freeman and Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo are both +900.

The over/under on total runs scored in the series is 50.5.