The All-Star break is in the rearview mirror, and it’s time to update our NL Central futures as we dig into the second half of the season.
The division was tight last season, with the St. Louis Cardinals beating the Milwaukee Brewers by a hair to win the NL Central title. But so far in 2023, the Cardinals look awful, while preseason underdogs like the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs are legit contenders.
Let’s look at the latest NL Central betting odds before we get into our MLB picks and sleepers for the division title.
NL Central Winner Odds 2023
MLB odds used for these best bets are from Monday, July 31, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Milwaukee Brewers (-130)
- Cincinnati Reds (+175)
- Chicago Cubs (+500)
- Louis Cardinals (+10000)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (+45000)
The Brewers may be the odds-on favorite to win the NL Central at the start of August, but they are not exactly running away with the division. The shockingly good Reds (+175) are only a few games behind the Brew Crew and provide a decent value.
Meanwhile, the Cubs (+500) are in a similar spot to the Reds, but offer even greater betting value. Even the Pirates and Cardinals have the rosters to make some noise in the second half of the season.
NL Central Winner Best Bet
Cincinnati Reds (+175)
If the Reds beat out the Brewers for the best record in the NL Central, they would go from a 100-loss team to division champs in the span of one season. Most Cinderella stories tend to fade around the midpoint of the MLB season, but the Reds are 7-3 in their previous 10 games, are tied for the division lead, and show no signs of slowing down.
- See where Cincinnati sits in the latest National League Pennant betting odds.
Rookie superstar Elly De La Cruz is leading a roster full of young talent, and there is still more to pull from in the Cincinnati’s phenomenal farm system.
If you are a daily MLB bettor, note that the Reds have the best ATS record in MLB at 68-38, with a return on investment of 19.6%.
NL Central Winner Sleeper Pick
Chicago Cubs (+500)
After stumbling in early July, the Cubbies have taken a step forward over the last few weeks with a 7-3 record in their previous 10 games.
And Chicago’s decision not to trade Cody Bellinger at the deadline made its intentions to try and make a run at the NL Central very clear.
The Cubs are just a few games behind the Brewers and are a solid sleeper pick at this price.