Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs open at 3-1 odds to repeat in 2017

When spring training arrives, Kris Bryant will be 25 and presumably entering the best years of his baseball career. And that will be a theme for several of the Chicago Cubs’ stars.

A day after winning the World Series in a dramatic Game 7 in Cleveland, the Cubs opened as clear-cut favorites to win the championship again in 2017. Chicago’s odds are 3-1 at the Westgate and 5-2 at William Hill sports books.

“The Cubs are certainly built to win for the long haul. It’s not like they have a bunch of aging parts,” Westgate sports book director Jay Kornegay said. “It will be easy to predict the Cubs will have the most tickets on them next year.

“Even during the years when the Cubs weren’t contenders, they would still be in the top five in ticket count.”

The Cubs always have been popular, and now they are potentially dominant.

Chicago’s infield is arguably the majors’ most talented. In the 10th inning Wednesday night, Bryant fielded a grounder at third base and fired to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, 27, for the final out of the 8-7 victory. Addison Russell, 22, was the shortstop. Javier Baez, 23, was at second base. Willson Contreras, 24, is the team’s catcher of the future. Kyle Schwarber, 23, was drafted as a catcher but probably will shift full time to the outfield.

The Cubs won 103 games in the regular season, and it’s fair to assume oddsmakers will set their win total for next year close to 100.

This time last year, the Westgate opened the Cubs’ odds to win the World Series at 10-1. Double-digit odds on the Cubs might not be seen again for years.

At the Westgate, Boston, Washington and the Los Angeles Dodgers are the closest teams to the Cubs at 10-1 odds. Cleveland, Houston and the New York Mets each opened at 12-1.

The Indians went into the World Series as 2-1 underdogs, yet they had a 3-1 series lead before collapsing because of a lack of starting pitching depth.

The wagering handle for the Cubs-Indians series lived up to the hype, though no exact numbers are reported by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

“I’ve never seen baseball games bet like that before,” Kornegay said. “With the exception of Game 5, the betting was through the roof. When the Cubs went down 3-1, it was like everyone abandoned them in Game 5.

“We did really well in the series. We were in a good position, so it really didn’t matter who won. But we were certainly rooting for the Indians because that was the preferred side for us.”

The Cubs’ chances to repeat are strong because the team faces free-agent decisions on only two significant contributors — closer Aroldis Chapman and 30-year-old center fielder Dexter Fowler.

The pitching staff might look slightly different. But the infield — anchored by Bryant, a Bonanza High School product and the favorite to win National League Most Valuable Player — could stay the same for several years.

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