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Are Cardinals’ futures worth betting on heading into playoffs?

St. Louis has had a great second half of the season and boasts two NL MVP candidates. Are the Cards worth considering to win the NL and/or World Series?

Nolan Arenado #28 and Paul Goldschmidt #46 of the St. Louis Cardinals meet in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 31, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

The St. Louis Cardinals just wrapped up a red-hot August that saw them win 22 of 29 games and get a firm hold on first place in the NL Central. As they opened September with another win Friday, let’s take a look at their future odds to win the division, the pennant and the World Series, according to DraftKings Sportsbook

St. Louis Cardinals futures odds

NL Central division title

The Cards have the division on lock and are listed at -2000 to win it. With a seven-game lead on the floundering Brewers, St. Louis is free and clear here. It will be the franchise’s 12th NL Central title and first since 2019.

NL Pennant odds

The Cardinals last won the pennant in 2013. They have +950 odds to make it out of the National League this year, putting them well behind the Dodgers (+170), Mets (+235) and Braves (+435). St. Louis has a losing record against each of those teams this year, but they haven’t faced any of them since the All-Star break and have become a different team since. However, with the Dodgers and Braves boasting deeper lineups, and the Mets owning a much more dominant pitching rotation, the Cardinals would have a clear disadvantage in a seven-game series against any of those squads.

World Series chances

St. Louis is hoping to win its first Fall Classic since 2011. It would be the franchise’s 12th title, the second-most in MLB history. Here is where they stand according to DK Sportsbook’s latest World Series odds

Dodgers: +350
Astros: +425
Mets: +475
Yankees: +500
Braves: +900
Blue Jays: +1500
Cardinals: +2200

There is no way the Blue Jays should have shorter World Series odds than the Cardinals. And St. Louis is a significantly better value bet than putting your chips on the Yankees.

St. Louis will have to get hot at the right time to win it all, but that would be reminiscent of that ‘11 campaign. The Cards went 21-8 over the season’s final month, squeezed into the playoffs as a Wild Card with one game to spare and went on to defeat the Rangers in an unforgettable, seven-game World Series.