The 2022 World Series gets going on Friday night with a Game 1 matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros. Bettors across the country will be tuning in to see if the team they are backing will show up under the bright lights. There's a ton of ways to get in on the action, though.
In a game that could go either way, finding underrated prop bets may be the best way to profit on two of the top teams going head to head. After all, prop bets are capable of cashing even if the game turns into a blowout. Here's a look at three of the best prop bets to target in Game 1 on Friday night.
World Series Prop Bets
1. JT Realmuto to Hit a Single (-105)
Getting a hit off of Justin Verlander is going to be a tough task for any one of Philly's top hitters. However, catcher J.T. Realmuto has a notable edge heading into Game 1 given h e has only faced Verlander twice in his career. That advantage usually works in the favor of the pitcher, but Realmuto has one of the lowest strikeout rates on the Phillies (21.2%) and one of the highest hard-hit rates (47.3%). It'll take some time for the Houston ace to figure out how to pitch to him. Realmuto has logged 10 hits across 11 games this postseason and nine of those hits have been a single. He'll find a hole in the defense at least once tonight.
2. Houston Astros Win by 1-3 Runs (+115)
Bettors looking to back the home team in Game 1 should prepare for a nail-biter. Six of Houston's seven postseason wins have come been decided by just one or two runs. That's why shying away from -166 moneyline odds and shifting gears to backing the Astros to win by 1-3 runs at +115 odds is a smart move. Keep in mind eight of Philadelphia's 11 games this postseason have been determined by three or less runs. A stellar pitching matchup combined with rusty bats after a few days off should lead to a low-scoring battle on Friday night. A Low-scoring battle would mean the likelihood of a blowout decreases in a big way.
3. Over 0.5 Runs Scored in First Inning (+126)
Seeing this prop bet sit at plus odds is a bit surprising. While Game 1 of the 2021 World Series did see a scoreless first inning, the same thing cannot be said about the previous nine Game 1s before that. From 2012 to 2020, at least one run was scored in every single World Series opener. These are two lineups that know how to hit the long ball, too, meaning all it takes is one swing for this bet to cash. The Astros smacked 214 home runs during the regular season (No. 4 in MLB), while the Phillies launched 205 home runs (No. 6 in MLB). Look for leadoff hitters Kyle Schwarber or Jose Altuve to get the action going early.