San Francisco Giants vs. Kansas City Royals: “Dynasty vs. Destiny” in 2014 World Series

The series is being billed as Dynasty vs. Destiny.

The "dynasty" label goes to the San Francisco Giants, who have already won two World Series championships since 2010. A third win would cement their team as a "genuine dynasty" because they would become the first National League team in nearly 70 years to pull off the historic feat.

Destiny is slotted for the Kansas City Royals, who haven't won a World Series championship – or even played in the postseason – since 1985.

Hours before Game 1 in Kansas City, the experts and pundits had all weighed in. SB Nation  offered four reasons why the Giants will win, including the fact that the team has more experience and can hit better fastballs. But Time said the Royals are the "slight favorite," even though the Giants' payroll is 50 percent higher than the Royals.

But it seems like everyone – not just the betting experts – wanted to cash in on the fun, too. Everyone from amusement park operators to mayors began betting on the game.

Mayor Ed Lee told "Murph and Mac" on KNBR radio station, if the Royals lose, Kansas City Mayor Sly James will sing and pass out food at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. If for some "farfetched" reason the Giants lose, Lee promised on the radio show that he would read to third graders in Kansas City.

He didn't think he'd be making that trip though.

"We're such a lucky city," Lee told KNBR. "I'm such a lucky mayor. Go Giants."

And then, in a nod to Hunter Pence's famous pep chant at the Pittsburgh Pirates game, Lee quipped, "Yes, yes, yes!"

An amusement park bet was in the works, as well. If the Giants win, Frank Wilburn, general manager of Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City said he'd pose in a Giants jersey and send digital proof to Great America in Santa Clara. If the Royals win, Great America general manager Raul Rehnborg will have to do the same in a Royals jersey.

Educators wanted in, too.

University of California at San Francisco chancellor Sam Hawgood  is so sure the Giants will win, he's giving up a selection of Napa Valley wines, Sonoma artisanal cheeses and a gift basket if they don't. And University of Missouri-Kansas City Leo Morton is standing behind his Royals. He'll donate a rack of Kansas City barbequed ribs and an album of the Gates BBQ Suite with saxophone player Bobby  Watson, head of the jazz studies program at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, if they lose.

And just to make sure the Giants have the upper hand, at least two Bay Area radio stations have banned Lorde's "Royals," the 2013 pop hit from being heard through the World Series. In response, a Kansas City station is playing the song over and over again.

Game 1 of the World Series between the Giants and Royals is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. Tuesday at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The game will be broadcast on Fox.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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