Following the All-Star Break, the Detroit Tigers reeled off seven straight victories, outscoring opponents 42-12. That week of success tickled the bellies of fans hungry for a return to meaningful games at Comerica Park late in the season. Apparently, one of those fans decided to put his money on the table: placing a bet online with BetMGM that would deliver a nice payoff.
According to BetMGM, a bet was placed on Detroit to win the World Series outright, on odds of +10,000, meaning a payoff of $100,000 should the Tigers find their way to a triumph in the 2021 Fall Classic that begins October 26th.
At the beginning of the season, the Tigers were listed as +4,000 to win the World Series, per BetMGM. They have played 101 games, leaving 61 on their regular season schedule, which would end on October 3rd. The team is currently in third place in the AL Central, 13 games behind the White Sox.
At 56-45, the Oakland A’s hold the second and final wild-card spot in the AL. The Tigers are nine games back of the A’s, with six teams in front of them for a playoff spot. Of course, a team can’t win the World Series if they don’t make the playoffs, and given their status right now, it’s indeed a long, long shot for the Tigers to get into the postseason.
But that’s why the odds are high and the payoff is big. For one gambler, it could be $100,000 in their pocket.
But it’s very unlikely the Tigers will even get to the playoffs, let alone make a run to the World Series. Here’s a table showing the biggest comebacks to make the postseason since MLB went to the wild card format in 1995.
Biggest Deficit Overcome to Make Playoffs, Since 1995 (As of July 31 of season)
| TEAM | YEAR | GAMES BEHIND | FINISH | PLAYOFF RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Mariners | 1995 | 11 | Division Winner | Lost ALCS |
| Houston Astros | 2004 | 6 | Wild Card | Lost ALCS |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 2001 | 6 | Wild Card | Lost Division Series |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 2006 | 5 | Wild Card | Lost Division Series |
| Minnesota Twins | 2003 | 4.5 | Division Winner | Lost Division Series |
| Minnesota Twins | 2017 | 4.5 | Wild Card | Lost Division Series |
| Kansas City Royals | 2014 | 3.5 | Wild Card | Lost World Series |
| Texas Rangers | 2015 | 3 | Division Winner | Lost Division Series |
As you can see, most teams playoff teams are already in a good position by August 1 of the season. Only the 1995 Mariners overcame a larger deficit than the 2021 Tigers are likely to have on August 1. Those were the Mariners who defeated the Yankees on the famous Griffey slide. The Tigers do not have a Ken Griffey Jr., and they have a very steep hill to climb to get their names on the table above.
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