The Lakers are one of the better teams in the NBA. The New York Yankees are considered one of the best teams in baseball, and their prize free-agent acquisition, Gerrit Cole, is expected to be one of the leading candidates for the AL Cy Young this season.
No one would blame you if you decided to put money down on the Lakers to win the Western Conference, the Yankees to win 100 games, or Cole to win the AL Cy Young. However, the odds of each (via PointsBet.com) are kind of short at the moment. So, the payout is not going to be much.
- The Lakers are favored to win the Western Conference Finals (Lakers +150; Clippers +175, Rockets +450).
- Yankees win total is set at 99.5; over -133, under +105.
- Gerrit Cole’s AL Cy Young odds– +275.
But if you are confident that all three are going to win, then the cross-sport Yankees-Lakers special at PointsBet.com may interest you:
- Yankees To Win 100+ Games, Gerrit Cole To Win AL Cy Young & Lakers To Win Western Conference Finals +1600
Of course, while it is not hard to imagine all three happening, it is important to keep in mind that if only one fails, you lose. Even though each is favored, each could easily fail. So, before putting money down, you have to consider the possibility of success.
The NY Yankees won 103 games last season and 100 games the year before. They have some of the most explosive players in baseball on offense and a quality pitching staff. Some of their best hitters have injury issues, and they lack depth in their starting rotation.
But they should dominate the competition in their division and the AL anyway—like they have the last two years. As long as they don’t lose too many other players for the season, they should be a good bet to win 100+.
The Lakers are looking like a good bet to win the Western Conference Finals. Chances are good they are going to be the No. 1 seed heading into the postseason. Despite that, the road to the Finals is not going to be easy. The Clippers and Rockets have good odds, and the rest of the playoff-bound teams in the West are not going to make it easy.
If LeBron James were to suffer a late-season injury (which is not unheard of at his age), the Lakers Conference Finals hopes are in trouble.
As for Gerrit Cole and the AL Cy Young, the last two preseason favorites failed to win, and it would be premature to expect Cole to. Voters tend to gravitate towards the guy that surprises everyone. Cole is expected to be great, so he will have to be unbelievable to win.
So—should you take the bet?
No—that is, ‘no’ if you are looking to make a large wager. There are too many variables working against each leg, making it too easy to see at least one fail. Now, if you want to skip your daily latte for a week and put a little money down—okay.
Just don’t bet the farm.
