World Series Odds - Handicapping The MLB Playoffs
World Series odds are on the horizon as teams are jockeying for playoff position down the stretch, and handicapping the postseason is not very different from handicapping the regular season, but the stakes are much higher.  Here are a few tips as you head into the playoffs.

Pitching Matchups
Pitchers are the most important aspect to look at before making your bet, as they have a tremendous influence on the game, and that's all the more important in this, "The Year Of The Pitcher".  Pitchers are having a phenomenal season, and you have to find out how a pitcher has done against a particular team.  For example, you would find that the Yankees' C.C. Sabathia is 2-0 in three career outings against St. Louis.  Chances are, World Series odds would favor the Yankees if they met the Cardinals in a game.

Head To Head History
Again, this is another matchup you have to consider because sometimes, one team just has another team's number.  One good example of this is Boston's playoff dominance over the Los Angeles in recent years.  Sure, the Angels swept the Red Sox last year, but you could not have faulted players for betting on Boston, who had beaten the Angels in three playoff meetings since 2004, losing nine games to one in those series.  If the matchups were the same this year, the Red Sox would probably be favored again. 

Stadiums
Where a game is played has a lot of say in a matchup.  For the most part, in other sports, the field play is standardized.  But in baseball, a lot of the stadiums are different, which could play into a visiting team's hands.  For example, the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium would give a team a fighting chance if they have a lot of left-handed power hitters, and the same goes for Boston's Fenway Park.  On the other hand, San Diego's Petco Park is known as a pitcher's park, so pitching becomes even more important if you are betting on World Series odds there.

Injuries
Of course, as in any other sport, injuries are going to play a major role in how you bet World Series odds.  The injuries are magnified during the playoffs, and one major knock can bump your team right out of contention if they do not have the depth to deal with it.  Check to see if any players had any injuries that were causing them problems during the second half of the year as you would not want to hear about something flaring up, and it is something you would have seen coming if you had done the research in the first place.

Experience
This is a factor that may get pushed to the wayside, but it is very important to factor in a team's experience as you get down to making your World Series odds pick.  The Yankees are the favored team this year because they won last year, and have plenty of players on their roster who have multiple rings, so they know what is like to be here.  Philadelphia is another team like that, and Boston is a team whose veteran experience will make them a factor in this year's World Series odds.

With those five tips, wagering on World Series odds should not be a problem, so get over to your sports betting now and make those picks!