Major sports moments often fall victim to recency bias and hyperbole, as notable championship runs have almost always been done before.
But there is truly no comparison for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ longshot run to within four wins of the World Series.
The D-Backs began the season as 180-to-1 underdogs to win the 2023 World Series at DraftKings, and if they take out the Rangers, it will be the most unlikely championship in the recorded history of baseball.
Soak it in Arizona. The #Dbacks are back in the World Series. pic.twitter.com/FjMePPXcRo
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) October 25, 2023
The Minnesota Twins currently hold the honor, as they were 90-to-1 preseason longshots to claim the 1991 championship before doing so, according to SportsOddsHistory, while the Marlins were 75-to-1 underdogs in 2003.
But this is on another level, as the D-Backs completely defied preseason projections and have pulled continual upsets in the postseason.
Arizona has played in 12 MLB playoff games and has been the underdog in every single one. The Diamondbacks have won nine of them outright. If a bettor placed $100 on the Diamondbacks’ moneyline for every game this postseason, he or she would be up $885 in profit through 12 games.
Here is the breakdown of the Diamondbacks’ moneyline odds for every game of the postseason, and the accompanying result.
- Wild Card Game 1: +150 (6-3 win at MIL)
- Wild Card Game 2: +110 (5-2 win at MIL)
- NLDS Game 1: +165 (11-2 win at LAD)
- NLDS Game 2: +130 (4-2 win at LAD)
- NLDS Game 3: +110 (4-2 win vs. LAD)
- NLCS Game 1: +144 (5-3 loss at PHI)
- NLCS Game 2: +140 (10-0 loss at PHI)
- NLCS Game 3: +108 (2-1 win vs. PHI)
- NLCS Game 4: +114 (6-5 win vs. PHI)
- NLCS Game 5: +110 (6-1 loss vs. PHI)
- NLCS Game 6: +154 (5-1 win at PHI)
- NLCS Game 7: +144 (4-2 win at PHI)
