Updated Odds to Win LLWS as Tournament Gets Underway: Chung Nam (South Korea) Favored
- The 73rd Little League World Series will take place August 15-25 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
- A USA team has won twice in the last three years.
- Chung Nam from South Korea is favored to win the Little League World Series.
The 2019 Little League World Series looks to kick off today in Williamsport, Pennsylvania with four games being played. Australia and the Caribbean will start things off at 1:00 pm EST.
Back in June when odds were listed on whether a US team or international team would win, it was the international team with better odds at -150. With the tournament now upon us, it still looks to be an international team’s tournament.
2019 Little League World Series Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chung Nam (South Korea) | +200 |
| Chofu (Japan) | +350 |
| Eastbank (Louisiana) | +500 |
| Central East Maui (Hawaii) | +800 |
| Pabao (Curacao) | +800 |
| Barrington (Rhode Island) | +1200 |
| Loudoun (Virginia) | +1200 |
| Sprague (Oregon) | +1200 |
| Cacique Mara (Venezuela) | +1600 |
| Epitacio “Mala” Torres (Mexico) | +1800 |
| Coon Rapids (Minnesota) | +2000 |
| Bowling Green Eastern (Kentucky) | +2200 |
| Elmora (New Jersey) | +2200 |
| Coquitlam (Canada) | +3300 |
| Cronulla (Australia) | +3300 |
| Emilia Romagna (Italy) | +3300 |
*Odds taken 8/15/19
The 16 teams listed in the odds are even between US and international, with eight each. The top 10 is evenly split as well, right down the middle with five each. This year’s Little League World Series is going to be anything but boring, with many teams gaining their first LLWS berth.
USA’s Best Shot
Louisiana is making its eighth LLWS appearance, but Eastbank is the first team from Louisiana to make it to the event since 2011 when a team from Lafayette made it. Eastbank will play their first game tomorrow, August 16, where they’ll face the West region champion.
During three state tournament games, Eastbank outscored their opponents 46-0 and threw three shutouts.
Louisiana's Eastbank Little League is coming to Williamsport! #LLWS pic.twitter.com/X1pZBv93tv
— littleleague (@LittleLeague) August 7, 2019
A Louisiana team has never won the LLWS, but the 4-0 Eastbank Little League team will be looking to change that, with the best odds of any US team at +500. Eastbank Louisiana will play against Hawaii on Friday and looks to be the US’s best shot to win the Little League World Series.
America’s Pastime
A team from the U.S has won twice in the last three years and will be looking to win consecutive championships for the first time since they won five in a row from ’05-’09.
Past Little League World Series Winners
| Team | Past LLWS Series |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Honolulu (Hawaii) |
| 2017 | Tokyo-Kitasuna (Japan) |
| 2016 | Maine-Endwell (New York) |
Despite winning two of the last three years, US teams haven’t exactly stacked up well against international teams in the championship game with a record of 17-35. Dubbed America’s pastime, baseball has never really taken a backseat, but over the course of the Little League World Series, the domination has come from the other side of the world.
Since 2000, an international team has won more times (10), then a US team (8).
American or International?
History may not stack up well for the American teams with their winning record, but Honolulu won last year, a US team has won the last two of three, and teams from the US are 4-1 against international teams in the finals since 2008.
A graduate of Sport Media at Ryerson University, Hayley is the ultimate student of sports. Whether she is playing it, watching it, debating it, or writing it, it's safe to assume sport consumes the majority of her life. She has worked both internationally and with the NBA.
