The Houston Astros were born in 1962 MLB betting season as the Colt .45’s and owner Roy Hofheinz made them wear cowboy clothes on road trips before the players mutinied due to the strange looks from travelers at airports.
In 1965 MLB betting season they moved into what was touted as the “Eight Wonder of the World” in the air-conditioned Astrodome and changed their name, appropriately enough, to the “Astros”. After struggling to grow grass the Astros had artificial turf known as Astroturf installed for 1966 MLB betting season.The new home, name, and carpet could not stop the losing, as the Astros would reach .500 until 1969 nor have a winning MLB betting season until 1972 when Jerry Ruess and Larry Dierker made history by pitching back-to-back no hitters for Houston.
It would not be until 1979 MLB betting season, however, before Houston was a serious title contender as pitcher JR Richard led an Astro team to within a game and a half of the MLB betting playoffs. Nolan Ryan was signed as the first player to make over $1 million per year to get Houston over the hump. The Astros finally made the post season in 1980 and led Philadelphia 2-1 in the best-of-five NLCS but could not close the deal, losing a heartbreaking game 5 in 10-innings. Houston lost a special division playoff to LA in the strike shortened 1981 MLB betting season.
The Astros would return to the NLCS in 1986 MLB betting season to meet the Mets in an epic 7-game showdown that ended with Astro Kevin Bass striking out with the winning run on base. While the Astros would often contend afterwards they would not reach online baseball betting post season again until 1997 when they won the weak NL Central before bowing to Atlanta in the NLDS. After acquiring superstar pitcher Randy Johnson at the 1998 trade deadline they rolled to 102 wins in online baseball betting. They were stunned in a 4-game NLDS loss to San Diego, however. 1999 was the final MLB betting season in the Astrodome and Houston clinched another division crown on the online baseball betting season’s final day before a SRO crowd. 2.7 million online baseball betting fans bid farewell to the dome in that final MLB betting season. Unfortunately, Houston again failed in post season versus Atlanta.
Houston won another NL Central title in 2001 MLB betting season but again failed in the NLDS to Atlanta, causing manager Larry Dierker to resign. After barely missing the playoffs in 2004 MLB betting season Houston made the NLCS before losing to St. Louis. After a slow start in 2005 the Astros rallied with a brilliant second half, beat St. Louis in the NLCS and lost to the White Sox in the World Series.