Should you bet on the Seattle Mariners making the 2021 playoffs?

Should you (legally) bet on the Seattle Mariners making the playoffs?

First things first, sports gambling is illegal in Washington state, so this article is more for imaginary use unless you live in a state where sports betting is legal. Also, I am no betting expert so take my advice with a grain of salt.

You would imagine placing a bet on the Seattle Mariners isn’t the safest bet unless you are betting against the Mariners. But, if you are feeling lucky, a small gamble on the young Seattle Mariners could reap a high return next season.

There is even one MLB.com writer who thinks the Mariners have a legitimate chance to win the AL West. And if you take a step back, it is not so crazy of a statement. The Houston Astros have been the leaders of the AL West for some time but they are losing some core players next season. Their center fielder George Springer is a free agent and seems to be heading elsewhere. Michael Brantley is also a free agent and will most likely be pursued by several other teams. Astros ace Justin Verlander is coming off of surgery and will need to work his way back.

The Los Angeles Angels have been busy trying to put together a winning team, but it seems like they have been doing that forever since Mike Trout became the star player and they have been unsuccessful. They hired a new general manager and acquired a closer, and Jose Iglesias to replace Andrelton Simmons, but it is still unclear how much better they have gotten.

The Oakland Athletics somehow always put a good team together. But their shortstop Marcus Semien and closer Liam Hendriks are free agents and it seems unlikely that both will return to Oakland next season.

The Texas Rangers are also rebuilding like the Mariners and finished in last place in the AL West. They have been offloading some of their players this offseason, the most notable one being Lance Lynn who went to the Chicago White Sox. I do not see the Rangers being competitors anytime soon, leaving Seattle in an interesting position.

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The Seattle Mariners even made a late run push for a playoff spot last year and gave fans a glimpse of hope. I think fans should keep that same faith going into 2021 because our young talent will only get better, and Seattle will be calling up some other talented prospects next season. Fans should feel especially good about the team after the recent additions to the bullpen including Rafael Montero and Keynan Middleton.

The Seattle Mariners 2021 betting odds

The official odds for the Mariners making the playoffs in 2021 are not out yet, but I can approximate based on 2019 and 2020’s odds. In 2019, Seattle’s odds to make the playoffs were +1500. This means if a gambler were to bet $100, they would win $1,500. The Mariners’ odds to win the World Series in 2019 were a whopping +6600.

In 2020, the team’s odds to make the playoffs were +1300. In addition, the chances of winning the World Series were +30000. The 2020 World Series odds were heavily inflated because of the shortened season and are usually not that high.

As I said before, the odds to make the playoffs for MLB teams have not been readily available online, but the odds for winning the 2021 World Series are out. According to Sports Illustrated, the Seattle Mariners’ odds are +8000.

Personally, I do not think the Mariners have a shot at winning the World Series, so that is something I would stay away from. If anything, a small gamble on a Mariners title in 2021 is the only thing that could make sense for those that want to bet on the Mariners.

However, a bet on the Seattle Mariners to make the playoffs is not so ridiculous as it may seem. Based on 2019 and 2020, I would expect the Mariners to be rated as underdogs again. I think the odds would be between +1000 and +1500 for the team to make the playoffs. This would mean a $100 bet could net a return or $1000 or $1500 if the Mariners made the postseason.

I will say though, the odds could change depending on the format of next season and how many teams make the playoffs. The more teams that can make the playoffs, the smaller the odds would be (because Seattle would have a better chance of making the playoffs)

Taking a chance on the Mariners making the playoffs is a lot more realistic and could be something worth betting on. I am not saying you should bet thousands of dollars, but a small bet ranging from $10-$50 would be a nice low-risk, high-reward bet.

If you are allowed to sports gamble (based on where you live) and are feeling lucky, I think a small bet on the Seattle Mariners making the playoffs is reasonable.