The Chicago Cubs enter the 2021 season with a competitive roster, but several questions regarding the team for this year and the immediate future. The pitching staff has completely changed, as four starters that began 2020 with the Cubs have either signed elsewhere in free agency or have been traded. Meanwhile, the Cubs now have a new slugging outfielder, as Kyle Schwarber was non-tendered and eventually replaced by former Los Angeles Dodgers World Series champion Joc Pederson. In a surprising move, Yu Darvish was traded to the San Diego Padres along with backup catcher Victor Caratini, leaving a huge hole in the starting rotation. Outside of a few minor pickups, the Cubs once again failed to be big players in free agency, while most of the trade rumors involving Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras have not come to fruition as of yet.
Chicago Cubs Odds To Win 2021 World Series
After winning the 2016 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, the Chicago Cubs have only been able to reach the NLCS once and have only won one playoff series since breaking their championship drought. Despite winning the National League Central Division in the shortened 2020 season with a 34-26 record, the Cubs were quickly ousted from the postseason, losing in the first round to the Miami Marlins in the expanded playoff format.
Despite having the core of position players still on the roster, the Cubs are no longer seen as one of the top World Series contenders, which they were from 2016-18.
On the DraftKings Sportsbook, the Cubs are currently +3300 to win the 2021 World Series. Compared to their division rivals, the Cubs have the third-best odds to win this year’s World Series behind the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. Overall, the Cubs have the 16th best odds to win the World Series.
Over on the PointsBet Sportsbook, the Cubs have the 15th best odds to win the 2021 World Series at +3500. They have the eighth-best odds to win it all from the 15 National League teams according to the current odds on PointsBet.
If you go on the FanDuel Sportsbook, you will find the exact same odds for the Cubs to win the 2021 World Series that you get on PointsBet which is at +3500, the 16th best odds out of the 30 MLB teams.
The William Hill Sportsbook has the Cubs listed near the bottom of the odds table at +5000 to win the 2021 World Series. That’s only good enough for the 19th best odds out of the entire league.
BetMGM Sportsbook also lists the Cubs at +3500 to win the 2021 World Series, which once again are the 16th best odds to win the title out of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball.
So, if you are feeling confident that the Cubs have a shot at winning it all, you might want to head over to the William Hill Sportsbook and place a bet to get the best odds at +5000 on the Cubs to win the 2021 World Series.
As of now, there are two clear favorites to win the 2021 World Series according to the odds, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankee Yankees enter the regular season somewhere between +400 and +600 to win the championship.
Chicago Cubs Odds To Win 2021 National League Pennant
From 1946-2014, the Chicago Cubs did not win the National League Pennant and only made it to the National League Championship Series three times during that time period. However, from 2015-17, the Cubs made three straight trips to the NLCS, winning it in 2016 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games, en route to winning the World Series.
Yet, the Cubs have not had much postseason success since 2017, and have now lost four consecutive playoff games dating back to Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS against the Dodgers. Following that series loss, the Cubs proceeded to lose the Wild Card Game in 2018 against the Colorado Rockies and were then swept by the Miami Marlins in a best of three first-round series in 2020. Can the Cubs return to being one of the top title contenders in the National League in 2021? The current odds do not paint a pretty picture for this year’s Cubs.
The Cubs are no longer near the top of the National League and the 2021 NL Pennant odds reflect a team that is in a transition period. At +2200 on the DraftKings Sportsbook to win the 2021 National League Pennant, the Cubs are positioned as the ninth team most likely to win the NL this year. Those odds remain consistent across the board, as the PointsBet Sportsbook lists the Cubs at +2000 to win the National League this year and the FanDuel Sportsbook has the Cubs at +2100 to win the NL title in 2021.
Meanwhile, the BetMGM Sportsbook gives the Cubs the best shot at winning the 2021 National League Pennant at +1800, placing them as the seventh most likely team to win the league out of the 15 NL clubs.
At the William Hill Sportsbook, the Cubs are +2700 to win the National League and make it back to the World Series in 2021.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the overwhelming favorites to win the 2021 National League Pennant across the major online sportsbooks, ranging from +225 to +220.
Chicago Cubs Odds To Win 2021 National League Central Division
The Chicago Cubs have won the National League Central Division three out of the last five seasons, including a 2020 division title. Yet, despite being the reigning division champions, the Cubs are widely viewed as the second, third, or by the most pessimistic predictions, fourth-best team in the division this season.
During the offseason, the Cubs lost Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, and Tyler Chatwood via free agency, while also trading Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres. Heading into spring training the Cubs have Kyle Hendricks, Zach Davies, Alec Mills, Adbert Alzolay and Trevor Williams penciled into their starting rotation. The biggest changes on offense in the offseason was Joc Pederson signing in late January, replacing Kyle Schwarber, while Matt Duffy and Phillip Ervin were the two notable additions to the bench.
The team has added a plethora of relief pitchers, but the Cubs will start the 2021 season with Craig Kimbrel as the closer.
Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo remain on the roster, but as f now none of the four are signed past this season. Speculation remains that Bryant and/or Contreras could be dealt by the trade deadline this summer. The chances of the Cubs selling midway through the 2021 season will only increase if they struggle out of the gate and find themselves several games back in the division race.
Heading into the 2021 season, most oddsmakers point to the Cubs not winning the NL Central title.
The Cardinals are the clear favorites to win the 2021 National League Central Division title on DraftKings, PointsBet, FanDuel, and BetMGM. Here are the odds for the Cubs winning the division crown in each of those four sportsbooks.
DraftKings: Cubs division odds +325
PointsBet: Cubs division odds +325
FanDuel: Cubs division odds +340
BetMGM: Cubs division odds +275
Currently, BetMGM Sportsbook is the lone sportsbook listed that has the Cubs with the second-best odds to win the division behind the Cardinals, as the +275 for the Cubs is the same for the Cincinnati Reds. Otherwise, the three other sportsbooks have the Cubs as a distant third favorite for the division championship.
Ways To Bet On 2021 Chicago Cubs
While you can make wagers on the overall performance of the 2021 Chicago Cubs by betting on their chances to win the World Series, National League Pennant, or National League Central Division, you have several other options to bet on your favorite MLB team.
Money line betting: This is the most straightforward type of bet you can make on every sport including baseball. For any regular season or postseason game, you will have the opportunity to bet on who wins a game outright. Most evenly-matched games will feature -110 odds, meaning you have to bet $110 to win $100. Of course, there will be games that have a big favorite and if you want to bet on that team to win, then your payout will be significantly less. For example, if the Cubs were playing the Pirates and Kyle Hendricks was starting, then the Cubs might be -200 on the money line. That means you would have to bet $200 to win $100. In 2021, you will see the Cubs as underdogs more often than in previous seasons. So, if the Cubs are +200 on the money line, and you bet $100 and they win the game, you end up winning $200 while getting back the $100 you risked.
Over/Unders: This type of bet is perfect for fans who don’t want to wager any particular team to win a game and rather want to bet on how many runs will be scored. It’s pretty simple as sportsbooks will look at pitching matchups and then set a number for total runs scored in a game. You can either bet that there will be more or fewer runs scored based on the number given. For example, when there are two good starting pitchers facing each other the over/under for the game will most likely be at 6.5 runs, whereas when two below-average pitchers are scheduled to start the over/under is set at 10 runs or above. This type of wager can only be cashed in if a game goes at least nine innings. If a game is cut short because of weather or any other delay, then the wager will be canceled and you will receive your money back.
Run lines: This type of bet is wagering on one team based on a point spread. You can either bet on the favorite at -1.5 runs, meaning to win the wager your team has to win by at least two runs. On the other hand, you can bet on the underdog at +1.5 runs, which means your bet is successful if your team only loses by one run or wins outright.
Parlay: A parlay is a wager that includes two or more bets into one bet. Because you have multiple bets packaged into one, you will get better odds in a parlay. So, let’s say you bet on a run line and the over/under for a game, if both of your picks win in the parlay your payout could be 2.5x the size of your wager. You can include run lines, money lines, over/under of more than one game into a parlay. The more bets you include into a parlay, the bigger payout you can get.
Prop bets: Many online sportsbooks offer prop bets not only for season-long stats but for individual games, too. For example, you could bet the over/under on the number of strikeouts Kyle Hendricks has in a start, or how many hits Kris Bryant gets in a game. You can get great odds on a specific player hitting a home run in a game.
First five innings: If you love the pitching matchup in a game, but don’t feel good about a bullpen, then you can simply bet on the outcome after five innings.
Chicago Cubs 2021 Player Prop Bets
While you can make bets on individual players on a specific game throughout the year, you can also wager on their season-long performance.
When rosters are made more official right before Opening Day, sportsbooks will offer straight forward over/under bets on players’ stats. You can bet on a player’s batting average, home run total, run total, or a pitcher’s strikeout total and number of wins.
You can also make prop bets on awards, such as Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and home run leader.
As of right now, DraftKings has a prop bet for the 2021 National League Most Valuable Player. There are currently five Chicago Cubs players listed on the board that you can bet on to win the prestigious award, with Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo having the same odds.
2021 National League Most Valuable Player odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Kris Bryant: +3000
Anthony Rizzo: +3000
Javier Baez: +3300
Ian Happ: +4000
Willson Contreras: +10000
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto are the co-favorites to win the 2021 National League MVP on DraftKings Sportsbook, as both superstars have equal odds of +750 to ultimately win the award this year.
Chicago Cubs 2021 Betting Odds FAQ
Can I get a bonus signing up at DraftKings Sportsbook to bet on the Cubs in 2021?
Yes, absolutely. All new users to DraftKings Sportsbook can automatically earn a bonus just for signing up to bet on the Cubs and every other professional sport. You can receive a bonus worth up to $1,500 total between free bets and a deposit bonus.
Why are the Cubs no longer considered serious championship contenders?
The Cubs lost several veteran starting pitchers via free agency and also traded away their best pitcher in Yu Darvish, trading him in the offseason. There’s also further speculation that a few more star players could be traded throughout the 2021 season, making them less likely to compete.
Does PointsBet Sportsbook have any deals for new users to bet on the 2021 Cubs?
PointsBet Sportsbook has a great promotion using the code “MOCKERY.” If you register today you will be eligible for $1,500 in free bets. You can get a risk free bet on your very first bet and have the chance for a $1,000 risk free bet in the form of a pointsbetting wager.
Can I get a free bet on the Cubs using FanDuel Sportsbook if I’m a new customer?
If you sign up at the FanDuel Sportsbook, you can instantly unlock a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000. Essentially, your very first bet using FanDuel Sportsbook can’t lose. If your wager fails, you will get back your money up to $1,000.
Are there any other types of bets I can make on the Cubs or other MLB teams/players during the 2021 season?
Of course. You can obviously make futures bets on awards and World Series champions during the season as well as betting on special events such as the Home Run Derby and the 2021 MLB All-Star Game and bet on series winners in the postseason.
What promo code can I use to bet on the Cubs in 2021 with BetMGM Sportsbook?
BetMGM Sportsbook is still not active in the state of Illinois. However, when the online betting platform officially opens in the state you can sign up and use the promo code “MOCKERY” and you will then have the chance to get a deposit match up to $600.
Do odds change on futures bets during the regular season?
Yes. Futures bets such as Cy Young winner, MVP, Rookie of the Year or home run leader as well as division winners, pennant winners, and World Series winners can have their odds change throughout the season based on how players or teams are performing. Odds can increase or decrease.
How does the William Hill Sportsbook bonus work for new users who want to bet on the Cubs this year?
William Hill Sportsbook has a risk-free bet for all new users who sign up today on the William Hill Sportsbook in Illinois betting app. Your first bet is risk-free up to $300. If you lose your first bet you will get your money back up to $300.