NL Central Winner Odds, Predictions & Picks 2024: Brewers Repeat as Division Champions

• The Milwaukee Brewers have won the NL Central division title

• Milwaukee was listed as high as +1000 to win the NL Central in the preseason

• The St. Louis Cardinals are currently in second place and are 9.5 games back from the Brewers

After entering the year listed as high as +1000 to win the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers have capped off their dominant 2024 campaign by securing the division title with a handful of games left to be played. A well deserved feat as the Brewers were head and shoulders better than the rest of the division on both sides of the ball, pacing the pack for first in the division standings for a majority of the season.

MLB NL Central Winner Odds

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. Click on the odds in the table below to place your bets at Ceasars: $1,000 First Bet on Caesars OR $250 in Bonus Bets.

MLB NL Central Predictions and Favorites to Win

Chicago Cubs

Not only did the Chicago Cubs finish comfortably behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central division standings after entering the year as one of the betting favorites to win the division, they also have been statistically eliminated from making the playoffs. A stunningly underwhelming season for a team that was projected to play in October, yet their prolonged cold stretch in the middle of the year proved to be too much for them to overcome.

The Cubs did manage to break out of their slump and play at a competitive rate to end the year, finishing the season ranked above league average in offensive Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, On Base Percentage, Defensive Efficiency, and Team Total Pitching ERA. Unfortunately for the Cubs, it was not enough to close the gap between them and the rest of the playoff contenders in the wildcard standings.

St. Louis Cardinals

Like the Cubs, the St. Louis Cardinals also entered the year listed as one of the betting favorites to win the NL Central depending on which sportsbook you looked at. Even when in second place, the Cardinals still finished comfortably behind the Brewers as they are currently nine games back with four games left to be played.

To make matters worse for the preseason division favorites, they have also been statistically eliminated from making the playoffs. Their offense played a major role in their season-long struggles as the Cardinals failed to generate any sort of consistent production on that side of the field. While they did manage to make contact at a league average rate, the Cardinals failed to rank in the top half of the league in On Base Percentage, RBIs, and Total Runs Scored.

Cincinnati Reds

Entering the year as a popular sleeper pick to win the division, the Cincinnati Reds never managed to threaten for first as they spent a majority of the year in the bottom half of the division standings. Their offense failed to recapture last year's success, ending the year ranked below league average in Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, and On Base Percentage.

An unfortunate level of offensive production as the Reds defense finally managed to play at a competitive rate as they currently rank league average in Team Total Pitching ERA and Defensive Efficiency. While they still need to add another arm or two to their pitching rotation, the Reds now need to spend the offseason figuring out how they will re-tool their lineup.

Pittsburgh Pirates

After getting out to a hot start, the Pittsburgh Pirates fell hard back down to reality in the second half of the season and are on pace to finish last in the division standings. Even when at the bottom of the standings, it was still a productive season for the Pirates as they now have some core pieces to build around heading into next year.

One of those pieces is their star rookie pitcher Paul Skenes as he has shown he can be the team's ace moving forward. While he did fall down the oddsboard for the Cy Young, it’s expected his name will be called when announcing the winner for the NL Rookie of the Year award. Should Pittsburgh manage to bolster their offensive production throughout the offseason, then expect the Pirates to be a popular longshot to win the division next season.

Who Will Win the NL Central in 2024? 

My Pick - Milwaukee Brewers

Entering the year listed as high as +1000 to win the NL Central, the Brewers managed to pace the rest of the division for a majority of the season en-route to their second straight division title. A well deserved feat as the Brewers ranked higher than the rest of the pack in offensive Team Total Hits, RBIs, Total Runs Scored, On Base Percentage, Defensive Efficiency, and Team Total Pitching ERA.

With the division title secured, the Brewers have turned their sights towards a bigger prize as they enter October with World Series aspirations. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, it looks like they will be locked into the third seed and have to play in the wildcard round as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are four games ahead of them in the overall standings with four games remaining in the regular season.

NL Central Winner History 

After a dominant 2024 campaign, the Milwaukee Brewers have secured their second straight NL Central division title and third one in four years. They managed to defy preseason expectations after entering the year listed as high as +1000 to win the NL Central, claiming their fifth title since joining the division in 1997. Should they manage to carry over a majority of their production into next season, expect the Brewers to be in contention for a third straight title.

Past NL Central Winners

How to Read NL Central Winner Odds 

When looking to make any type of wager, it’s key to know how the listed odds work before placing it. With the Brewers at -1200 odds earlier this month, that means you would have needed to wager $1,200 to win $100. If you took the Cardinals instead at +6500, then that means a $100 wager would profit you $6,500 if they would have won the NL Central.

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on the NL Central

It’s vital to have as many sportsbooks as you can get in order to line shop. Starting with the Brewers, you could have found them as high as -1700 at FanDuel, while their lowest listed odds are -1200 at BetMGM earlier this month. That is a difference of $500 in a tied up wager for a $100 bettor. 

Each sportsbook also has their own unique new user promotions, giving their users a major head start with bonus bets during the MLB season. Caesars Sportsbook for example is giving new users $1,000 back in the form of bonus bets should they lose their first wager after creating an account with the WSN promo code WSN1000.

More info on the best MLB betting sites can be found in our comprehensive guide.

*Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l terms.