College baseball team Wake Forest favored to win College World Series in betting markets
Unleashing College Baseball's Elite: Men's College World Series Kicks Off This Weekend in Omaha
The 2023 Men's College World Series begins its electric three-week run in Omaha, home to eight exceptional college baseball programs vying to claim the national title. This year's tournament impresses with an array of top-tier teams, ready to battle it out in the ultimate test of skill and determination.
"The sheer quantity of top-notch players here is astounding," Stephen Schoch, the vibrant host of D1Baseball podcast, the Schoch Factor, declared to Sports Handle.
It's not just about the MLB spotlight. Omaha offers a platform for non-MLB prospects to become legends during the next ten days, with the 2021 postseason sensation, Stephen Schoch himself, having made a name as a college baseball personality and analyst after his impressive run with Virginia and his viral, captivating postgame interviews.
"I had planned on becoming a licensed insurance agent serving the Wilmington, North Carolina area," Schoch reflected. "That was my post-career storyline."
As the NFL, NBA, and NHL seasons draw to a close, the pulse-pounding, game-by-game action of the Men's College World Series offers sports betting enthusiasts an exciting new market to delve into during the comparatively lean sports calendar.
The Team to Beat: Wake Forest
The tournament's top seed, Wake Forest, stormed into the tournament with a 5-0 NCAA Tournament record and an impressive combined scoreline of 75-16. Their potential as national champions is undeniable, as evidenced by the bookmakers' odds. Wake Forest is the betting favorite across several mobile sportsbooks, including BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel, bet365, DraftKings, and Barstool Sportsbook and BetRivers, boasting odds as short as +220.
"This squad hasn't had a losing weekend all season," observed Teddy Cahill, a nationally recognized baseball writer for Baseball America, to Sports Handle. "Their pitching staff has been the best in the nation. They have an incredibly powerful offense."
The Demon Deacons dominate the racing for the national championship with the best team ERA in the country at 2.84, boasting a deep, dominant pitching staff. Rhett Lowder, Josh Hartle, Sean Sullivan, and Seth Keener have all started at least seven games and thrown at least 60 innings, each boasting ERAs below 3.00 while dominated opponents all season. The success of Wake Forest's pitching staff is closely tied to their pitching lab, a hydrotherapy facility that utilizes high-tech tools to help keep the arms fresh and ready to perform.
Dynamic powerhouses, Brock Wilken (30 home runs) and Nick Kurtz (24 home runs) headline the team's potent lineup. Wake Forest takes on Stanford in their College World Series opener on Saturday, with the Demon Deacons favored at -235 on FanDuel.
Other Top Contenders
While Wake Forest leads the pack, several other teams are also strong contenders for the national title.
LSU, the No. 5 seed, has championship odds as competitive as any team, with odds as low as +300 on Barstool Sportsbook. The Tigers boast an unparalleled pitching ace in Paul Skenes, who has recorded an impressive 1.77 ERA and 188 strikeouts over 107 innings pitched.
"They were preseason No. 1 for a reason," Cahill opined. "They have the best pitcher in America. They have arguably the best hitter in America in Dylan Crews."
The Tigers are a formidable force, bolstered by Skenes' remarkable arm and the hitting prowess of Crews, who reaches base in an astonishing 57% of his at-bats.
Another top contender is Florida, with championship odds hovering near +400. The Gators, who triumphed over SEC rival Tennessee in the regular season but have yet to face LSU this season, are listed at +400 to win it all on Caesars Sportsbook. Like Wake Forest and LSU, the second-seeded Gators excel in multiple areas, ranking in the top 35 nationally in both team ERA and runs per game.
And let's not forget Virginia, who seem to be slipping under the radar despite a stunning season. The Cavaliers have fluctuating odds across sportsbooks, with DraftKings listing UVA at +450 to win the national title, the same odds as Florida, while Barstool Sportsbook has Virginia at +700 to win the CWS. The Cavaliers boast elite hitters in their lineup, including MLB prospects Kyle Teel and Jake Gelof, the program's all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. UVA scored 26 runs over the final two games of their Super Regional to eliminate Duke.
"No matter who's on the mound, they find ways to score," Schoch affirmed.
Virginia's pitching staff is one of the most consistent in the country, with a fourth-ranked team ERA of 3.77, but the top talent might not be as show-stopping as the stars from Wake Forest and LSU. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers are led by head coach and Omaha native Brian O'Connor, who won a national title as a coach in 2015. Virginia and Florida square off in their tournament opener on Friday at 7 p.m., with the Gators favored at -135 on DraftKings.
Baseball enthusiasts can expect a thrilling first-round matchup between LSU and Tennessee, with LSU favored at -190 on DraftKings. "I cannot wait for that game," Schoch exclaimed. "I think that game will likely garner the most attention in the first round."
A Cinderella Story: Underdogs to Watch
TCU, Stanford, and Oral Roberts round out this year's event, each with their own intriguing storylines.
TCU is on a hot streak, having won 11 consecutive games, and their Title odds are around +800 on most mobile sportsbooks, despite a modest 31-22 record prior to their winning run.
Stanford battled past Texas in a Super Regional to advance to Omaha, boasting a dynamic offense and ace pitcher Quinn Matthews. However, a questionable rotation depth may hinder their shots at the national title.
"They have an offense capable of scoring big runs, but do they have enough pitching beyond Matthews to keep up?" Cahill asked.
Oral Roberts, the tournament's Cinderella, has odds of +3000 to win the championship on FanDuel. The Golden Eagles were a four seed in their regional, which they won before upsetting Oregon in a Super Regional to qualify for Omaha. Despite their long odds, analyst Doug Ziefel still appreciates their potential, commenting, "I don't expect any underdogs to make a deep run, as this is one of the most stacked CWS fields ever."
- Stephen Schoch, the host of the D1Baseball podcast, the Schoch Factor, finds the quantity of top-notch players in the Men's College World Series to be astounding.
- As the NFL, NBA, and NHL seasons draw to a close, sports betting enthusiasts can find an exciting new market in the Men's College World Series during the comparatively lean sports calendar.
- Wake Forest, seeded first in the tournament, has an impressive combined scoreline of 75-16 and a national championship potential evidenced by their short odds at various mobile sportsbooks, including BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel, bet365, DraftKings, Barstool Sportsbook, and BetRivers.
- Analyst Teddy Cahill, a nationally recognized baseball writer for Baseball America, observed that Wake Forest dominated the racing for the national championship with the best team ERA in the country and a powerful offense.
- Despite being a long shot, Oral Roberts, the tournament's Cinderella, won their regional and Super Regional to qualify for Omaha, with odds of +3000 to win the championship on FanDuel.
- Baseball personality and analyst Stephen Schoch gained fame after his impressive run with Virginia and his viral, captivating postgame interviews during the 2021 postseason.
