After ten years of under performing, Florida baseball team defeats defending champion Boston to book their place against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Tuesday 21st October 2008
The Tampa Bay Rays made baseball history Sunday night when they defeated the Boston Red Sox to book their first ever appearance in a World Series.
Before the season started, Tampa Bay were 200/1 long shots to win the World Series, but they smashed the defending champion Boston Red Sox in a thrilling seven-game playoff battle and will now face the Philadelphia Phillies for the title of World Champions.
Founded ten years ago, the Rays had finished out of last place in their five-team division only once before when they pipped the Toronto Blue Jays into second bottom in 2004. In addition, the team had only won more than 70 of the 162 games played each season twice before their unexpected run this year.
However, the seven-game World Series kicks off in Pennsylvania tomorrow with the American League Devil Rays now favourites after defeating Boston. Online bookie Totesport.com has the Florida team at odds of 4/7 while BetFred.com, Sportingbet.com, PaddyPower.com and Ladbrokes.com list Tampa at 8/13. Boylesports.com has ‘The Rays’ at odds of 4/6 alongside BetDirect.com, SkyBet.com and StanJames.com.
National League Philadelphia only took five games to dispose of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their place in the World Series but now go into tomorrow’s first game as underdogs. Despite almost a week’s rest, Boylesports.com lists ‘The Phillies’ at odds of 6/5 alongside StanJames.com, BetDirect.com and WillHill.com while SkyBet.com has gone one better with 11/10. Odds of 5/4 are available on Philadelphia from BetFred.com and Sportingbet.com while PaddyPower.com and CanBet.com are offering 27/20. The longest odds on ‘The Phillies’ winning their second ever World Series after 1980’s triumph is the 11/8 available from Betfair.com.
