Bettor turns $50 into $76K on wild World Series; $200 could win $80K

The Diamondbacks and Rangers are the second-most unlikely matchup in World Series history, according to SportsOddsHistory.com.

But a Caesars Sportsbook bettor called it more than six months ago.

On April 19, the gambler placed a $50 two-team futures parlay to win $75,850 on Arizona to win the National League at 65-1 odds and on Texas to win the American League at 22-1. The parlay was a 1,517-1 long shot.

The most unlikely World Series matchup took place in 1991 between the Braves (75-1 to win the NL) and the Twins (40-1 to win the AL). That parlay of worst-to-first teams was a 3,115-1 shot.

Another Caesars bettor has a $200 exacta riding to win $80,000 on the Rangers to beat the Diamondbacks at 400-1 odds, placed on Oct. 4.

Arizona opened as a 200-1 long shot at the Westgate SuperBook to win it all and at 125-1 at Caesars. Texas opened at 80-1 at both books.

Despite two long shots making it to the Fall Classic, Caesars will be a big winner either way after Houston furniture store owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale lost $4.9 million in wagers at the book on the Astros to repeat as World Series champions.

The Rangers beat Houston in seven games in the American League Championship Series.

“Once the Astros lost, that sort of sealed the deal,” Caesars assistant director of trading Adam Pullen said. “We’re in a good position regardless. But the Diamondbacks are a much better outcome for us than the Rangers.”

Arizona upset the Phillies in seven games in the National League Championship Series.

“It’s a win-win for both teams for us,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “Having the Diamondbacks win the series against the Phillies and having Texas go undefeated on the road (8-0) in the postseason has been really good for us.”

The Rangers are consensus -180 favorites to win the series, and the Diamondbacks are +160 underdogs.

Texas is a -161 favorite to win Game 1 at home on Friday behind Nathan Eovaldi, who is 7-1 with a 2.56 ERA in nine career postseason starts. Arizona is +146 behind Zac Gallen (17-9, 3.47), who was second in the majors in wins this season. The total is 8 (over -115).

“It’s a coin flip,” Pullen said of the World Series matchup. “It’s really close, but I’m going to say Texas in 7.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.