The Chicago Cubs remain consensus World Series favorites heading into the final 2? months of the regular season.The Cubs are 7-2 to win the World Series at multiple Las Vegas sportsbooks. The Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants and upstart Cleveland Indians are next at around 6-1, followed by the Texas Rangers (10-1) and Baltimore Orioles (12-1).The Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros also are in the playoff mix, with odds of better than 15-1.The Cubs (53-35) have attracted by far the most bets to win the World Series at Station Casinos and Boyd Gamings sportsbooks. They have a seven-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.The Cubs also have drawn the most money, nearly double the nearest team, which for us would be the Giants, Bob Scucci, director of race and sports for Boyd Gaming, told ESPN.The NL West-leading Giants (57-33) are the most popular World Series bet at William Hill, which runs several shops in northern Nevada, closer to the San Francisco area. The Giants have attracted more bets and more money than any other team at William Hill. The Cubs are a close second.The Rangers (54-36) were the best bet in baseball before the All-Star break. Bettors wagering $100 on Texas in every game to this point would be up $2,494, according to sports betting database BetLabSports on SportsInsights. The largest World Series bet William Hill has taken to this point was $25,000 on the Rangers at 15-1. The bet was placed Dec. 7 and would win $375,000.The Cubs, Giants, Rangers combo has been bad [for us], Nick Bogdanovich, William Hill director of trading, said in a text message.The Tampa Bay Rays (34-54) were the worst bet in baseball before the break. Bettors wagering $100 on the Rays in every game have lost $2,094. The Rays are 17.5 games back in the AL East, not good for the bettor who put a $5,000 on Tampa Bay to win the World Series at 60-1 in late January at William Hill. The Rays are now 1,000-1 at some shops.Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant is the favorite to win the NL MVP at 2-1 at the Westgate SuperBook. Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado is the second choice at 7-2. Orioles shortstop Manny Machado and Astros second baseman Jose Altuve are co-favorites to win the AL MVP at 4-1.Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award. He is 3-1 at the Westgate SuperBook. Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto, the Giants pair of aces, are the second favorites at 7-2. Chicago White Sox starter Chris Sale is an outright favorite (10-11) to win the AL Cy Young Award.Overall, baseball bettors have fared well so far this season.Its been a struggle and streaky season, Jay Kornegay, Westgate vice president of race and sports, told ESPN. [Weve been] on the short end of things more often than we would prefer.Boyd Gamings Scucci characterized the baseball season as very choppy for his shop.It started off great, but quickly faded in May, Scucci said in an email. May and June were terrible months for us compared to prior years. Yovani Gallardo Jersey . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. http://www.brewersteamshop.com/Brewers-Eric-Thames-Kids-Jersey/ .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Domingo Santana Jersey .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. Orlando Arcia Jersey .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. The Bottom 10 inspirational thought of the week:Its the circle of life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love Til we find our place On the path unwinding In the circle The circle of life--The Circle of Life from The Lion KingHere at ESPN Bottom 10 HQ, located in a bunker beneath the pyramid of Tim Tebows protein shake cans, we have a tendency to become a little attached to the teams that we rank, especially those that have been around for years. Its the kind of everlasting bond that can only be forged by watching WatchESPN replays of Fun Belt games at 2 a.m. with Captain Morgan after your family has gone to bed.So, imagine the emotions we wrestle with when one of our old friends departs from our party. Imagine the internal conflict that rages within our already fragile minds when one of our longtime Bottom 10 companions has the gall to actually start winning games and removes itself from our poor but proud world. Do we root for that team as it moves on? Sure, but its like sending our children off to college. Were so proud, but if were being honest, also a little sad.But, as Atlanta resident Elton John has taught us, this is the Circle of Life. It is inevitable that after you send your kids off to college, even after they earned a diploma -- or a bowl berth -- last fall, one day youll come home from work and find theyve moved back into their old rooms.With apologies to Simba and Steve Harvey, heres this weeks Bottom 10.1. Rice (0-5)The Owls surrendered 702 yards on Saturday. Thats a new school record for the Southern Miss offense, which had never been led to that many yards, even when Brett Favre was quarterback. Though Im pretty sure Favre has eaten fried owl at some point.2. Arkansas State (0-4) The Red Wolves prepared for their Wednesday night visit from Georgia Southern Not State by scheduling the Fightin Byes of Open Date U. Unfortunately, the Byes won 21-7.3. Charlotte 1-and-4ers (1-4) The big losses to Louisville and Eastern Michigan are looking more understandable with each passing week. But the big losses to Temple and Old Dominion by a combined score of 100-37? Not so much. Over the next two weeks they play FA(not I)U and FI(not A)U in the Sunshine State Loves Their Vowels Series. Speaking of which ...4. FA(not I)U (1-4)The Other Owls lost to FI(not A)U in Pillow Fight of the Week of the Year IV (PFOWY4). Down there they call it the Shula Bowl, and the winning team receives a can of pomade, a deep-V golf shirt with a gigantic collar, and a bear hug from Larry Csonka.dddddddddddd The loser gets the same thing.5. Hook Em (2-2) The Coveted Fifth Spot is painted burnt orange after the Horns had one ... two ... three extra points blocked in their second loss in one ... two ... three weeks and officially starting the Charlie Strong Hot Seat Watch in three ... two ... one ...6. My Hammy Of Ohio (0-5)Our selection committee struggled most with what to do here. The State of Kent, previous occupiers of this slot, lost via a late rally to Akrons backup quarterback. But My Hammys day versus Ohio ended with a sack and fumble recovery in their own end zone. They win out here per Bottom 10 rulebook Order 66, aka the 0-and-Something Rule, which states that after five weeks any team that is 0-and-something must be ranked. Besides, Kent and Hammy will meet this Saturday in PFOWY5 to settle this dispute like men.7. Georgia State Not Southern (0-4)Welcome back! The reality is that their (mostly) close losses have come to (mostly) good teams -- Ball State, Air Force, Wisconsin and Appalachian State. But the other reality is that the aforementioned Order 66 has to be executed. Otherwise, Emperor Palpatine will send his apprentice after us.8. San José State?(1-4) The Spartans nearly rallied to tie New Mexico late, but lost. But then they were all like, Yeah, but our loss to Iowa State last week is looking pretty good now, because look at the score! They are up 14 on Baylor in the fourth quarter!9. I-Ow!-A State (1-4)And then the Cyclones were all like, My bad.10. Bowling Green (1-4) I owe the Falcons an apology. Last week, several BGSU fans tweeted and emailed to let me know that I had incorrectly stated the Falcons lost 77-10 to Memphis in Week 4, and that they had actually lost 77-3. In related news, last week I was in New York and a man corrected me when I tried to point out that he had spilled some ketchup on his shirt. Oh, that aint ketchup, thats my blood.Waiting list: NI-Whew (1-5), State of Kent (1-4), UTEP (1-4), R-O-C-K in the UTSA (1-3), FI(not A)U (1-4), UMess (1-4), Fres-No State (1-4), UL(not L)M (1-3), Kansas Nayhawks (1-4), Georgia fans who left mid-fourth quarter and then tried to push their way back into the stadium and then blocked the exits doing surrender cobras. ' ' '