The online gambling sportsbooks are doing a brisk business this time of year.  The winter is approaching, and the days are much shorter at this time of year.  The online casino sportsbooks are busy with football, soccer, basketball, horse racing, boxing matches, and a myriad of other sports.  One of the more popular sportsbook attractions is Major League Baseball.

It seems as if it were yesterday that Brad Lidge threw the final strike of the 2008 World Series.  Actually, it was almost two months ago when the final strike of the World Series made the Philadelphia Phillies champions of the baseball world.  The Phillies, the National League winners, actually disposed of Tampa Bay, the American League titlist, in five games. 

In the world of online gambling, the patrons who picked the Phillies at the start of last season took home some cash at 10-1 odds.  If the gamblers were really smart and placed their bets in online gambling sportsbooks on the Phils around Christmastime, they would have received a return on 12-1 odds.

The Holiday Season – Favourable Odds on Major League Baseball

The smart money sports investors always like to make a wager on a baseball team around the Holidays in the online gambling sportsbooks.  This is the time that you can get great odds on ball clubs that have a fighting chance to garner the World Series crown.  Who would have ever have believed that the Tampa Bay Rays could have won the American League pennant after finishing in last place in their Division the two previous years?  The smart money took that bet at 100-1 odds on the American League pennant last Christmas, and made a bundle.

So, let’s take a look at what we have according to ’s Line, and see if we can pick a long-shot for you.  If you’ve been following this column, then you are aware that we gave you a tip on the New York Giants to repeat as Super Bowl Champs of the National Football League, the Montreal Canadiens to take the National Hockey League, and the Los Angeles Lakers to capture the National Basketball Association title.

Yanks will Take the A.L. Pennant

As we peruse the field, it would be easy to pick the New York Yankees who struggled mightily last season and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1994.  Hank Steinbrenner, the club’s owner, is committed to winning this year, and has amazingly deep pockets to back up his commitment. 

The New York Yankees will re-emerge from the ruins of ‘08 to take the American League pennant in 2009.  At this point, they are the World Series favourites at 6-1 in the online gambling sportsbooks.  Look for Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, and Robinson Cano to have bounce-back seasons.

N.L. is a Toss-up

While the Phillies bask in the glory of their championship, the crown will fall suddenly off their heads and hard to the ground this upcoming year.  The New York Mets out of the East and the Houston Astros out of the West will set up a rematch of their remarkable playoff series in 1986.  The Mets won that year, and went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox in seven games to clinch the World Series.

This is the year that the Astros exact their revenge on the Mets.  The Astros will defeat the Mets in six games to take the National League pennant, and then upset the Yankees in seven to capture the World Series.

Take heed of my prediction.  The online gambling sportsbooks have set the odds on the Houston Astros to win the 2009 World Series at 40-1.  That’s a lot of cabbage to take back with you next fall!  Remember, you heard it here first!

We’ll be offering predictions on baseball’s individual honours, such as batting champs and Cy Young pitching winners, as the winter rolls on.