Astros lose to Tigers as minus 600 favorites at sportsbooks

The Detroit Tigers pulled off one of the biggest upsets in baseball history Wednesday night with a 2-1 road win over the Houston Astros.

Houston, which entered the game 81-46 and 42 games better than Detroit in the standings, closed anywhere from a minus 550 to minus 600 favorite. Detroit was anywhere from a plus 375 to plus 450 underdog.

The Astros were minus 230 to win the game by two runs or more.

“I’ve never seen a line that high, side or run line,” Golden Nugget sportsbook director Tony Miller said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Miller has been in the business for 33 years. Other veteran bookmakers also could not remember a bigger favorite in a baseball game.

MGM Resorts sportsbooks reported several mid five-figure straight bets on the Astros to win the game outright.

The Westgate sportsbook took little action on either side at the high price and didn’t move off minus 550 all day. Bettors there did lay the run-line price, and the Tigers’ outright win scooped up those wagers for the house and wiped out a substantial amount of parlays that included the Astros.

“It was a good result for the book, as I’m guessing it was all over town,” Westgate sportsbook executive director John Murray said.

The astronomical odds were the result of one of the league’s best teams sending star pitcher Justin Verlander, a former Tiger, to the mound against the worst team in baseball that was 20-66 since May 13.

Verlander pitched the distance and allowed two hits, both home runs. John Hicks’ homer in the ninth inning was the difference.

The Astros never led.

If Wednesday’s line was a record, it might not stand for long.

The Westgate opened the Astros as a minus 500 favorite for Thursday’s series finale with Gerrit Cole opposing Detroit’s Jordan Zimmermann. Heavy action is again expected on the favorite, which could push the number higher.

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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.