Event tickets

Sox Series Success Drives Futures   by Lynda Collins

Chicago’s Cubs always have been a huge drawing card as far as Major League Baseball futures are concerned, while the crosstown rival White Sox have been regarded as the proverbial Little Sisters of the Poor.

An upper echelon club versus a lower mid-level one.

But hey, hey, holy cow!

The Southsiders are garnering more action than the Northsiders this year… albeit not much.

And the Mets are hotter than the Yankees, thanks to some hefty off-season acquisitions.

“We’re still getting plenty of Cubs money,” Las Vegas Hilton oddsmaker/supervisor Jeff Sherman said with a laugh.

“The White Sox are the most heavily-bet team we have and the Cubs are second,” Palms Race and Sports Director Rich Baccellieri said.

The White Sox have dropped from 12/1 to 6/1 to win the World Series at the Hilton and to 5/1 at the Palms, while the Cubs — 20/1 when betting opened — are 12/1 at the Hilton and 9/1 at the Palms.

“The Cubs are so low because we’ve taken so much money on them,” Baccellieri said.

“I think the Hilton and Palms offer players the fairest odds in town,” he added. “You can always expect good things from the Hilton… the Palms too.”

The Cubs always are a big attraction, partially because they developed so many fans when SuperStation WGN was in its infancy and provided fans throughout America with their only daily dose of baseball.

Also, it has been 98 years since the Bruins last won the World Series and 61 since they’ve copped a pennant — the longest in baseball since the Chisox carted off the whole ball of wax last season.

Long-suffering Cubs fans annually fill sports book coffers with futures dollars, always hoping “next year” finally will arrive.

“They look at the last two teams to win the Series and they were clubs who hadn’t won in a long time, so they think, ‘This could be the year,’” Baccellieri said.

Geography also weighs heavily among futures players; Los Angeles’ two clubs annually lure the cash, though Padre and Diamondback futures appear to rise and fall depending on the talent.

Baccellieri has the Angels at 14/1 and Dodgers at 25/1.

“They’re up there, absolutely,” he said.

The Angels, 2005 AL West Division champs, are 12/1 at the Hilton and the Dodgers are 20/1.

Las Vegas is a cosmopolitan city with transplants from across America and beyond; many are from the Big Apple and Second City.

Consequently, large sums pass over the counter on clubs from those metropolises.

“They have huge numbers of backers,” Baccellieri observed.

A Yankees fan, Baccellieri agrees with Sherman that the Bronx Bombers will have to beef up their mounds corps if they hope to advance through the playoffs.

“They have problems with their pitching,” he said.

Though the Chisox have pulled in more dollars, the Yanks, as usual, are favorites to add another AL championsip to their already-stuffed trophy case.

“Our four (World Series) favorites right now are the Yankees (3/1), the White Sox (5/1), the Mets (6/1) and St. Louis ((7/1),” Baccellieri said.

Hilton odds are the Yankees, 4/1; Cardinals and Chisox, 6/1; and Mets, 8/1.

Bacellieri, who left Caesars Palace to take over the Palms slot, says bettors wager a lot more on World Series futures than they do the two pennants; odds between the two basically are halved.

“I guess they’re looking for the longer odds, though you have to win one more series of gammes, but we get so much more on the World Series,” he said.

The Palms bet shop boss again agrees with Sherman that the bulk of action will come shortly before the season starts on April 2.

“We’ll have big crowds in for the NCAA Tournament (in March) and they’ll be ready for the bases and next season’s football,” Baccellieri concluded.

About the Author

Lynda Collins is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of her articles at www.procappers.com/Lynda_Collins.htm
MLB 2K11: Franchise Mode: Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Chicago White Sox Team Logo Lunch Bag $10.00 Take your favorite team to lunch with an officially licensed MLB soft lunch box. These lunch boxes feature a simulated baseball leather material around the perimeter and a pocket for a photo or trading card. Each lunch box features a logo on a baseball design on one side with a baseball diamond and team logo on the other. Availability: Usually ships within 1-2 business days….

Seattle Mariners Team Logo Lunch Bag $9.75 Team logo lunch bag prominently displaying your favorite team’s logo on one side and a photograph pocket displayed against a baseball diamond on the reverse side (perfect for your favorite photo or player trading card). Each bag is a soft-sided zippered bag with the side panels and handle having the appearance of baseball leather….

Washington Nationals Team Logo Lunch Bag $12.99 Team logo lunch bag prominently displaying your favorite team’s logo on one side and a photograph pocket displayed against a baseball diamond on the reverse side (perfect for your favorite photo or player trading card). Each bag is a soft-sided zippered bag with the side panels and handle having the appearance of baseball leather….

JACKIE ROBINSON DAY 3-PACK McFarlane MLB Sports Picks * JACKIE ROBINSON / BROOKLYN DODGERS * ROBINSON CANO / NEW YORK YANKEES * KEN GRIFFEY JR. / CINCINNATI REDS * 6 Inch Figure Box Set $23.89 JACKIE ROBINSON DAY 3-PACK McFarlane MLB Sports Picks 6 Inch Figure Box Set. Jackie Robinson: Figure measures 3 1/4 inches at top of head; 8 inches from fingertip to toe. Articulated at neck, left elbow and right biceps. Includes 8 inch wide by 4-inch deep custom home plate base. Robinson Cano: Figure measures 6 1/2 inches at top of cap. Articulated at neck and biceps. Includes 6 3/4-inch wide by …

JIM THOME / CLEVELAND INDIANS 1998 MLB Starting Lineup Action Figure & Exclusive Collector Trading Card $9.00 James Howard “Jim” Thome (born August 27, 1970 in Peoria, Illinois) is an American Major League Baseball designated hitter. Originally a third baseman, he was shifted to first base when the Indians traded for Matt Williams in 1997. At the plate, Thome hit 25 home runs and 73 runs batted in with a .314 batting average in 1995. Thome then hit 38 home runs in 1996 and 40 in 1997. Thome soon became…

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA / CHICAGO CUBS * 3 INCH * McFarlane’s MLB Sports Picks Series 3 Mini Figure & Display Base $4.50 NOMAR GARCIAPARRA / CHICAGO CUBS * 3 INCH * McFarlane’s MLB Sports Picks Series 3 Mini Figure & Display Base. Nomar brings his aggressive style to Chicago to pace the Cubs’ attack. MCFARLANE’S SPORTS PICKS: 3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES – Your favorite Major League Baseball superstar action figure in 3-inch scale. Small figure, huge detail. Collect them all; includes equipment and bases. Ages 5 and…

MLB Chicago Cubs Chrome Tire Stem Valve Caps $12.95 Brand new official licensed logo product of MLB….

Italian Diamondbacks Fan Italy Baseball Fan Pride Country European American Usa T Shirt GILDAN ADULT HEAVY COTTON TEE 5.3 oz., 100% Cotton, preshrunk Cotton/10% Polyester). Seamless double-needle collar. Taped neck and shoulders. Double-needle sleeve and bottom hems. Any questions please call or email us. …2T- 13″ CHEST X 17″ LENGTH …3T- 14″ CHEST X 18″ LENGTH …4T- 15″ CHEST X 19″ LENGTH …YS- 16″ CHEST X 20″ LENGTH …YM- 17″ CHEST X 22″ LENGTH …YL- 18″ CHEST X 24″  L…