The 2019 Little League World Series is set to begin on Thursday, August 15, with opening games in both the United States and International brackets. Teams will play a double elimination format through the bracket rounds until the top two teams from each bracket are determined. Those teams play in the U.S. and international final with the winners squaring off to determine the 2019 LLWS champion.
Buoyed by dominant teams from the Far East, the International side is favored to win the LLWS title. Japan had the most recent run winning five championships in eight years between 2010 and 2017. Hawai’i put an end to that stretch last year with a team from Honolulu claiming the state’s third title since 2005. Those two clubs are among the favorites to advance out of their respective brackets.
Little League World Series Odds at BookMaker.eu
International Team wins LLWS -180
U.S. Team wins LLWS +140
The festivities from South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, get underway on Thursday, August 15 with four games, two from each bracket. The remaining teams play their first games on Friday. Every game will be shown on the ESPN family of networks with betting options available at top online sportsbooks.
2019 Little League World Series Schedule – Thursday, August 15
Curacao (Caribbean) vs. Sydney (Australia), 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Behind Japan and South Korea, Curacao is probably the third-best international team. And the squad representing Pabao Little League from Willemstad is familiar to fans of the LLWS as it returns for a ninth time since 1980. Curacao punched its ticket by claiming the Caribbean Region with an 8-3 win over another squad from Curacao, Pariba LL.
Judrick Profar, brother of MLBer Jurickson Profar, is the biggest name on the team. And he’s a key cog that helped Curacao go undefeated in its region. Jurickson played in the LLWS in 2004 and 2005, leading Willemstad to the title his first time around. Curacao outscored opponents 43-7 going 6-0 in the region while tossing three shutouts.
According to LittleLeague.org, Australia is one of the fastest growing little league countries in the world and the region will be represented by a team from Sydney after winning the bracket with a 5-2 victory. Sydney was the first team to reach the LLWS with its region triumph over a month ago. Cronulla LL is becoming a hot ticket in Sydney, earning its second trip to the LLWS. Sydney also went 6-0 to win the Australian Region, outscoring opponents 57-24.
Rhode Island (New England) vs. Virginia (Southeast), 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The first game from the U.S. bracket has New England Region champ Rhode Island facing Southeast Region winner Virginia. The kids from Barrington gave RI its fifth region title in the last six years. RI was sent to the losers bracket with a loss to New Hampshire but came back to knock off NH in the championship game. Barrington compiled a 3-1 record in the regional tournament.
The Southeast Region was won by a team from South Riding, giving the state of Virginia its first LLWS qualifier in a quarter of a century. Loudon South LL could be a sleeper in the U.S. bracket after winning consecutive state championships.
South Korea (Asia-Pacific) vs. Venezuela (Latin America), 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Latin America has produced a number of Major League players and it all starts at the grass roots level. The team from Cacique Mara LL in Maracaibo, Venezuela, is the 20th Venezuelan squad to make the trip to Pennsylvania by taking down the field in the Latin America Region. They get a tough draw in the opener against one of the favorites to win the title.
Chung Nam LL from South Chungcheong, South Korea, claimed the Asia-Pacific Region capping a perfect seven-game run with a 7-2 victory over Chinese-Taipei, outscoring opponents 78-8 in those games. South Korea has been a frequent visitor to South Williamsport, but this is the first team outside of Seoul to make the trip.
Minnesota (Midwest) vs. Kentucky (Great Lakes), 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Bowling Green LL made short work of the Great Lakes Region claiming the title in three games knocking off favorites Michigan and Illinois in the process. Kentucky twice scored 15 runs in a game and totaled 35 in the tournament.
Midwest Region champion Coon Rapids, Minnesota, is waiting to conclude the first day of the LLWS. Minnesota advanced by taking down Iowa, 8-6, in the final game, avenging an earlier loss to the team from Johnston. Minnesota collected 12 hits in the final, including a tie-breaking homer in the sixth inning from Jameson Kuznia. Minnesota plated 41 runs going 4-1 in the regional.
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