Will the Chicago Cubs win 100 games? You can bet on it

By MATT YOUMANS LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

A fan, top right, who ran onto the field, celebrates with Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) and his teammates after Arrieta throw a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Cincinnati. Arrieta threw a no-hitter. (John Minchillo/The Associated Press)

Less than a month into the baseball season, with Jake Arrieta coming up aces, it’s time to raise the stakes in the Chicago Cubs poker game.

Bookmakers were dealing the Cubs’ regular-season win total at 93 to 93½ when optimism was rampant during spring training. A 14-5 start for the Cubs has forced Chris Andrews to inflate the number.

Andrews, the South Point sports book director, posted a proposition Sunday: Will the Cubs win 100 games? The “No” side opened as the favorite at minus-170. After the first bets came in on the “Yes” side at plus-150, the “No” price was lowered to minus-160.

“Everybody is talking about the Cubs, and people are betting the Cubs every day,” Andrews said. “That’s why I put it up.”

Arrieta already has four wins and a no-hitter to his credit. The bearded right-hander has been the most dominant pitcher in the majors for the past year. But his ERA of 0.87 is not even the lowest among the Cubs’ starters. Jason Hammel has a 0.75 ERA.

The South Point posted another prop today: Will Arrieta throw a second no-hitter during the 2016 regular season? The “No” side is minus-700.

Anthony Rizzo, a power-hitting first baseman, is tied for second in the majors with eight home runs. He leads an offense that has helped the Cubs compile a plus-68 run differential that leads the majors by a wide margin.

“I think the Cubs have a real chance,” Andrews said of the 100-win mark.

The Cubs’ winning percentage is .737 through 19 games, and they would need to go 86-57 (.601) the rest of the way to hit triple digits in wins.

Staying relatively injury-free will be a big key. Bad luck struck the Cubs on April 7, when outfielder Kyle Schwarber suffered a likely season-ending knee injury.

In a preseason “Sports Betting Spotlight” video, see which Review-Journal staff member picked the Cubs to win 102 games.

Contact sports betting reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow on Twitter: @mattyoumans247