Major League Baseball

World Series odds Game 4: Best bets on Astros vs. Braves

Updated Oct. 30, 2021 6:26 p.m. ET

By Dave Sharapan
FOX Sports MLB Betting Analyst

Now that's World Series baseball! Game 3 of the 2021 Fall Classic was a nail-biter, with the Braves capitalizing on a heck of a pitching performance across the board to come away with the 2-1 series lead.

Let's have some fun now by coming up with winners for this evening's pivotal game. Here's what you need to know about all the World Series odds for Game 4 between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves, from the lines to my picks (with all odds via FOX Bet).

1. What a Game 3 it was, as the Braves had five pitchers combine for a two-hit shutout, with the Astros working the tying run to third in the eighth. Will Game 4 match the drama? More importantly, who you got?

Last night had drama because it was an under game. Only two hits for Houston and only two runs for Atlanta. There is drama for every World Series game for baseball fans, but today's game will have different drama because of the pitching situation. Zack Greinke vs. Dylan Lee. Not exactly a Cy Young match-up, to say the least.

They are calling this a bullpen game, I am calling it an over game. There could be more runs scored in the first inning today than the entire game last night. It really is a toss-up, and I am thinking the Astros lineup gets that extra hit or homer tonight to win.

Yes, I know the Braves are undefeated at home this postseason, but Houston hits when Greinke pitches, so we are going with that tonight.

PICK: Astros to win outright (-115 at FOX Bet; $10 to win $18.70 total)

2. Game 3 was a pitchers' war more than a duel, with the two teams throwing 11 hurlers combined. Now, the Braves have to get through a bullpen game on Saturday. How does that impact your bets?

With it being an arm barn game (the jury is still out on that term), it gives me pause in making bets on the game pre-game. I mean, the Braves just announced that Lee was starting an hour ago, so I think the "nobody knows squadoosh" line applies for all of us.

While I might look to play the under or a few guys to not get a hit, I am looking more at guys' total bases props or maybe a guy to get multiple hits at a plus price.

Instead of playing a guy to get one hit, maybe we go with Altuve 3+ total bases at +130 or Freddie Freeman 3+ at +115.

PICK: Altuve 3+ Total Bases (+130 at FOX Bet)

PICK: Freddie Freeman 3+ Total Bases (+115 at FOX Bet)

3. Let's say I'm feeling like I have a pretty good grasp on this whole World Series betting thing. I'm having fun. I'm winning a few wagers. And I want to try my hand at live, in-game betting. Can you give me a few general tips?

In-game wagering is a lot of fun, especially with a sport like baseball because there is time to think and make a play thanks to the natural pace of play. You have time to think, see and react between pitches, and the strategy of the game comes into play all the time. Then, a guy like d'Arnaud hits a ball 437 feet and, like Mike Tyson famously said, "Everybody has a plan until they get hit in the mouth." HAHA.

As far as a couple of things to look for, one right at the top of the list will be the strike zone established by the home plate umpire at the start. If the pitchers are getting that black and a few inches off the plate, look to play the under or stuff not to happen.

On the other hand, if it looks like the strike zone is small and the pitchers are getting squeezed like Stan Belinda did in the 1992 NLCS vs. the Bra-vos (all of this ATL stuff is bringing back all the memories), play the over.

Lastly, you can play whether a run will be scored or not in each inning, and that is simply looking at the batting order and who is due up.

In-game wagering is not for the faint of heart though, nor conducive to eating peanuts while watching the game!

4. Betting on the game to end in the top of the ninth was a nice way to cap Friday night. Let's keep it rolling! What's our fun, slightly outside-the-box prop bet for Game 4?

As I said, this game is going to look very different from last night. We have had some nice success with these fun bets. You want outside the box, let me call time and give you a couple.

One wager I like that I think has a good price is both Freddie Freeman and Michael Brantley to get a hit at -110. Both are professional hitters, both hit at the top of the lineup and should each get a minimum of 4 at bats. I'll take my chances with them.

Now you get one that is more of a hunch play, but the price is right. The Braves to make an error is sitting at +155. You don't like to root for a mistake, but I think there will be one with the number of chances they will have and the lack of strikeouts, so we swing for the fences there.

PICK: Freddie Freeman and Michael Brantley 1+ Hits Each (-110 at FOX Bet)

PICK: Braves to Commit an Error (+155 at FOX Bet)

5. You're a man of many hats, so put on your Nostradamus cap. Who wins this series, and in how many games?

I love hats, and if you know anybody with a Nostradamus one, put him in touch with me, just don't tell Mrs. Consig, please.

Trying to forecast the future is hard enough, let alone when you don't know who will be pitching, bruh! Before the series, I said it was going six or seven games, so we are sticking with that.

Looking at the prices with the hat on, I think it's Braves in 6 (+333) or Astros in 7 (+280). Atlanta taking all three games in the middle here seems highly unlikely to me but so did a Zack Greinke vs. Dylan Lee pitching matchup in Game 4 of the World Series!!

Kevin Garnett said "Anything is possibleeeeeeeeeeeeee" when they won it back in the day, and I will say the same thing about World Series baseball, bruh!!

PICK: Atlanta Braves win series 4-2 (+333 at FOX Bet)

PICK: Houston Astros win series 4-3 (+280 at FOX Bet)

Dave Sharapan is a longtime oddsmaker who spent 20-plus years in sportsbooks around the world. He is a current sports betting analyst, writer and sports bettor himself with Pittsburgh roots who lives in Las Vegas and has more hats than he possibly can count. You can follow him on Twitter @SportsbkConsig.

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