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WBC Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Thursday

Ryan Gilbert

Last Updated: March 9, 2023 7:19 PM EST • 1 min 60 sec read.

Panama's starting pitcher Andy Otero throws as we look at our WBC best bets for Thursday
Panama's starting pitcher Andy Otero throws during the second inning of the Caribbean Series baseball tournament against the Dominican Republic at the Hiram Bithorn stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 4, 2020. Photo by Ricardo Arduengo via AFP.

The World Baseball Classic is underway and continues on Thursday with four games. Read on for our WBC best bets for Thursday, March 9.

The World Baseball Classic continues on Thursday with four games on the docket.

Japan made its much-anticipated tournament debut against China while Italy battled into extra innings with Cuba in the second of the two early games. Both China (vs. Czechia) and Cuba (vs. Panama) get started in the evening.

Here are our WBC best bets for Thursday (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Thursday’s WBC schedule and odds

(Odds via FanDuel)

  • China 1 - Japan 8
  • Italy 6 - Cuba 3
  • Czech Republic (-120) vs. China (+100) - 10 p.m. ET
  • Cuba (-165) vs. Panama (+140) - 11:30 p.m. ET

Thursday’s WBC best bets

  • Moneyline: Czech Republic ML vs. China (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Moneyline: Panama ML vs. Cuba (+140 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Thursday’s WBC top picks

Moneyline: Czech Republic ML vs. China (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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China is coming off a shellacking against Japan this morning in which they lost 8-1 to the Pool B favorites. They have to dust themselves off and pick themselves back up to take on the Czech Republic.

Neither team has too many recognizable names, with second baseman Eric Sogard perhaps being the biggest on the Czech side. Nevertheless, that’s the side to bet in this one.

We’re getting great value on DraftKings at -110 as the Czech Republic is as high as -120 (BetMGM), -128 (FanDuel), and -130 (PointsBet).

Moneyline: Panama ML vs. Cuba (+140 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Cuba lost 4-2 to the Netherlands in its opening game and got upset by Italy 6-3 on Thursday morning. 

Meanwhile, Panama got off to a great start with a 12-5 win over Chinese Taipei earlier on Wednesday before falling 3-1 to the Netherlands later that night.

Cuba has more name recognition, but it hasn’t resulted in much yet.

Panama starter Andy Otero had a 3.42 ERA across 68 ⅓ innings in AA and AAA last season while Cuba’s Ronald Bolanos had a higher ERA (4.42) but for the Royals in the majors.

This should be a closer game than the line suggests. There is also some value here at +140 with Panama at +136 (FanDuel), +128 (PointsBet), and +125 (BetMGM) at other books.

WBC best bets made 03/09/2023 at 2:36 p.m. ET

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Written By:
Ryan Gilbert
Ryan Gilbert is a contributing writer at SportsbookReview.com, covering hockey and baseball. He is the lead NHL writer and editor at the Sports Gambling Podcast Network, where he also co-hosts the Hockey Gambling Podcast. Ryan covers the Philadelphia Flyers for Broad Street Hockey and co-founded Sons of Penn. His past stops include NBC Sports Regional Networks and NHL.com.