The Atlanta Braves host the Seattle Mariners in the first of a three match mini-series on Friday night. The Braves have got their 2023 season off to a flying start. But for the Mariners, it has been a struggle. Will it be normal service when the two teams meet at Truist Park on Friday? Or can the Mariners get their season going with a shock win? Let’s take a look and try to answer that question in our latest MLB betting picks.
The 2023 Major League Baseball season is now in full flow. So far this season, the Atlanta Braves have done well. They sit top of the NL East with a 27-16 record. But their recent form is 5-5. While that’s not a major concern for Brian Snitker just yet, he wouldn’t want it to drop off much more.
As for the Seattle Mariners, they sit fourth in the AL West with a disappointing return of 21-22 this season. Like Atlanta, they are 5-5 in their last ten. In their most recent mini-series, they played the Boston Red Sox. In the first match, they won 10-1. They then followed that up with 9-4 and 12-3 defeats.
But as we all know only too well now, matches against the Red Sox are no markers for anybody to be judged against. So it’s hard to know where the Mariners are now, coming out of that series.
When it comes to the betting to win the 2023 World Series, one thing we do know is that the best MLB betting sites don’t see the Mariners as one of the betting favorites. Seattle are +2800 to win their first World Series, and they are +1600 to win their first ever American League Pennant.
The favorites are actually the Atlanta Braves. The Braves top the betting at +500, just ahead of the in-form Tampa Bay Rays at +600. The Rays are the big movers in the betting in recent weeks. Just over a month ago, Kevin Cash’s team were +2200, and ninth in the betting. They’ve been on some run in recent weeks, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the sportsbooks.
Behind the Rays in the betting is the LA Dodgers at +650, with the current World Series champions, the Houston Astros, next at +750. For more betting odds to win the 2023 World Series, please check out our below odds table.
| 2023 MLB World Series Winner Betting |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| LA Dodgers | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| Houston Astros | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| San Diego Padres | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| New York Yankees | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| New York Mets | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Minnesota Twins | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Texas Rangers | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +2800 | +2800 | +2800 |
| Seattle Mariners | +2800 | +2800 | +2800 |
The odds on our betting table are provided by the best MLB World Series betting sites. To read more about them, including their latest betting offers for new customers, please visit our top rated sportsbooks for sports betting page.
After starting the season brightly, the Braves hit the buffers earlier in the month. Just days ago, Atlanta went on a four-match losing streak, with disappointing losses to the Red Sox and the Blue Jays (x3).
We all know the MLB season is a long drawn out affair, and this means teams will have little dips in form. But the Braves aren’t used to four-match losing streaks, so it was little surprise when they snapped out of their poor run with a 12-0 win away to the Texas Rangers.
In the two matches since that thrashing of Texas, they have lost to the same opponents 7-4, and then on Wednesday they beat them 6-5.
The 6-5 victory saw them win the mini-series against Texas by two games to one. But more importantly, the Braves will now take some much needed confidence with them into a run of home fixtures.
The Mariners have been on the road now since May 11th. In that time they have played on six occasions. And against a combination of the Tigers and the Red Sox, they have won three, and lost three.
This mini-series against the Braves is their last before a run of matches at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The run of home fixtures starts next week against the Athletics. It will be difficult for them to end their road trip with a series win though. But even winning one of their three matches at Truist Park could be considered something of a success.
Despite the positions in their respective divisions, the odds on this match are closer than might be expected. On the moneyline, the Braves are -135, with the Mariners at +125.
On the handicap line, the Braves are +145 giving away 1.5 points. The Mariners are -165 with a 1.5 points start.
Pretty much every important statistic available says a home win for the Braves. They rank second in MLB this season for home runs with 74. The Mariners rank 20th with 45 home runs. We simply have to go with the Braves to win, and we’re backing them to also cover the spread.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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