NL Central Winner Odds, Predictions & Picks 2024: Brewers Continue to Pace the Rest of the Division

• Milwaukee Brewers currently possess a 8.5 game lead for first in the NL Central

• The Chicago Cubs are five games back from the New York Mets in the wildcard standings

• The Brewers are four games back from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a first round bye in the playoffs

After coming into the year listed as high as +1000 to win the NL Central division title, the Brewers possess a 8.5 game lead for first as we enter the final stretch of the season. They have been head and shoulders better the rest of the division on both sides of the field, outranking them in most key metrics. Barring a catastrophe, expect the Brewers to claim their second straight division title.

As for the rest of the division, the Chicago Cubs continue to climb up the wildcard standings as they are now five games back from the New York Mets for the last wildcard spot. Time is quickly running out, but the Cubs are a live contender to make the playoffs should the Mets go through a cold stretch. The NL Central preseason betting favorite St Louis Cardinals meanwhile sit 6.5 games back from the Mets, desperately needing to string together a win streak to help keep their postseason hopes alive.

MLB NL Central Winner Odds

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Click on the odds in the table below to place your bets at Ceasars: $1,000 First Bet on Caesars OR $250 in Bonus Bets.

MLB NL Central Predictions and Favorites to Win

Chicago Cubs +6000 at Caesars

After steadily clawing away the Brewers lead in the NL Central division standings, the Chicago Cubs have crashed back down as they are now 8.5 games back from first. While a division title is most likely out of reach for Chicago, their playoff hopes are still alive as they are five games back form the New York Mets in the wildcard standings.

Should the Cubs want to keep their postseason hopes alive, then their offense will need to play at a higher rate to help compliment their productive defense. Specifically with making contact as the Cubs have dipped down to below league average in Team Total Hits. Relying on their defense is not enough to help spark a win streak, especially when having to dig out of a sizable hole with less than 20 games remaining in the regular season.

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St. Louis Cardinals +6500 at Caesars

Now 10 games back from the Brewers for first in the division standings, the Cardinals are nearing elimination from winning the division title after entering the year listed as the preseason betting favorites to win the NL Central. Their playoff hopes also look bleak as they are 6.5 games back form the New York Mets in the wildcard standings for the last wildcard spot.

Nothing seemingly went right for a team that was projected to be the best in the division as the Cardinals rank league average or worse in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, On Base Percentage, Defensive Efficiency, and Team Total Pitching ERA. With no consistent competitive production on either side of the field, it’s tough to envision the Cardinals instantly turning around their level of play and sparking a hot streak to help keep their playoff hopes alive.

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Cincinnati Reds +35000 at Caesars

After entering the year as a popular pick to win the NL Central, the Cincinnati Reds never managed to play at a consistently high level as they remained near the bottom of the division standings for a majority of the season. Especially on the offensive end as the Reds rank below league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage.

An unfortunate level of offensive play as their defense drastically improved after last year’s lowly marks, entering the final stretch of the season ranked above league average in Team Total Pitching ERA and Defensive Efficiency. Even with a young core poised to improve, the Reds need to add more offensive production this offseason should they want to contend for the division title next year.

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Pittsburgh Pirates +50000 at Caesars

After playing well above preseason expectations, the Pittsburgh Pirates have fallen hard back down to reality as the losses start to rack up at an alarming rate. Their regression was largely expected as the metrics never backed up their success, entering the final stretch of the season ranked below league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, On Base Percentage, Defensive Efficiency, and Team Total Pitching ERA.

Speaking of regression, Paul Skenes has started to show signs of slowing down after an underwhelming stretch of play in August. After his slump, Skenes has plummeted down the oddsboard for both the NL Rookie of the Year award and NL Cy Young award. Management has also reported that they will be slashing his pitch count to help preserve him for next season, limiting his chances of winning either award in the process.

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Who Will Win the NL Central in 2024? 

My Pick - Milwaukee Brewers (-40000) at Caesars

Projected to win just 75 games this year per their preseason win total, the Milwaukee Brewers are now 83-62 with 17 games left to be played. They also enter the final stretch of play with a 8.5 game lead for first in the NL Central division standings, putting them in a great position to win their second straight division title.

The Brewers have been by far the best team in the division this season as they rank above the rest of the pack in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, On Base Percentage, Defensive Efficiency, and Team Total Pitching ERA. With a division title nearly locked up, the Brewers can turn their sights towards securing one of the two byes in the playoffs as they are currently four games back from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the overall standings.

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NL Central Winner History 

The chance for a repeat division champion since the Cubs did it back in 2016-2017 is becoming more realistic with each passing day as the Brewers continue to hold onto their lead for first place in the NL Central standings. With no one standing out as an immediate contender when comparing metrics, it’s the Brewers division to lose as they enter the last month of play with a comfortable lead for first.

Past NL Central Winners

How to Read NL Central Winner Odds 

When looking to make any type of wager, it’s key to know how the listed odds work before placing it. With the Brewers at -1200 odds earlier this month, that means you would have needed to wager $1,200 to win $100. If you were to take the Cardinals instead at +6500 right now, then that means a $100 wager would profit you $6,500 if they were to win the NL Central.

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the NL Central

With the NL Central pegged to be a tight race until the very end, it’s vital to have as many online sportsbooks as you can get in order to line shop. Starting with the Brewers, you could have found them as high as -1700 at FanDuel, while their lowest listed odds are -1200 at BetMGM earlier this month. That is a difference of $500 in a tied up wager for a $100 bettor. 

Each sportsbook also has their own unique new user promotions, giving their users a major head start with bonus bets during the MLB season. FanDuel Sportsbook for example is giving new users $200 in bonus bets after creating an account and making an initial wager of at least $5.

More info on the best MLB betting sites can be found in our comprehensive guide.

*Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l terms.