Have the Houston Astros slayed the Sports Illustrated cover jinx?!

It’s a fool’s game trying to predict what happens in sport, right?

Not so in the case of Sports Illustrated’s senior writer Ben Reiter whose bold and, as it turns out, entirely accurate prediction that the Houston Astros would win the World Series in 2017 has come to pass.

When Reiter peered into his crystal ball in the June 2014 edition his forecast caused irritation among readers.

“This was the worst team that anyone had ever seen and they were in last place at the time,” Reiter told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell.

“People were enraged by it. They thought we were just trying to be controversial, but it started looking better and better. I guess my one regret is I never went to Vegas on this thing.”

The Astros sealed a 5-1 victory over the LA Dodgers in Game 7 at the Dodgers Stadium on Wednesday to clinch the team’s first-ever World Series.

The win is perhaps the exception that proves the rule which says that teams or sportspeople who appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated then suffer inexplicable misfortune.

Back in 1978, Cincinnati Reds’ Pete Rose was on a 44-game hit streak, 12 short of Joe DiMaggio’s all-time record of 56,

Rose’s streak ended the same week he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

The Houston Astros celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday, November 1. It is the first time the Astros have won the World Series.

Astros catcher Brian McCann hugs pitcher Charlie Morton after the final out. Morton got the win, pitching the last four innings of the game.

Houston third baseman Alex Bregman celebrates after the victory.

Houston shortstop Carlos Correa leaps for joy after the final out.

Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig watches the Astros celebrate.

Bregman carries second baseman Jose Altuve during the postgame celebrations.

The Astros celebrate together at the postgame ceremony.

The Dodgers watch from the top step of the dugout during the eighth inning. They fell behind 5-0 after two innings and never got much momentum going.

Andre Ethier drives in the Dodgers' only run while pinch-hitting for Clayton Kershaw in the sixth inning.

Kershaw, the Dodgers' ace, came into the game in the third inning and threw four shutout innings.

Puig reacts after flying out in the third inning.

George Springer celebrates after hitting a home run to give the Astros a 5-0 lead in the second inning. The two-run blast was Springer's fifth home run of the series, tying a World Series record. He was later named World Series MVP.

Marwin Gonzalez hits a double off Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish early in the second inning.

Darvish reacts to a rough first inning in which he gave up two runs. He was pulled in the second after giving up the home run to Springer. Darvish went just 1 2/3 innings in both of his World Series starts.

Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. throws a pitch during the first inning. McCullers didn't give up a run in 2 1/3 innings of work, but he hit four batters.

Springer is greeted in the dugout after scoring a run in the first inning. He opened the game with a double.

Bregman reacts after scoring the opening run of the game.

Actors Rob Lowe, right, and Ken Jeong wave Dodger flags on top of a dugout before the game. Many celebrities were in attendance.

Astros win Game 7, first World Series

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This year, three of the four players featured on NFL 2017 season preview covers have suffered injuries – two of the them, J.J. Watt, the Houston Texans’ defensive linesman and Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson, are expected to miss the whole season.

“The SI jinx is fair to a point,” Reiter says. “The fact is we usually put something on the cover when it’s reached it’s highest point.

“The reason it’s on the cover because they’re doing so great and there’s nowhere to go but down. In this case there was nowhere to go but up for the Astros.”

Visit CNN.com/sport for more news and features

If you did buy the June 2014 edition, it might be worth your while rooting out your copy because the cover price of $4.99 is looking like a bargain at the moment.

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Updated 10:22 AM EDT, Thu November 2, 2017

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“If you go on Ebay now and look you’ll see that original copies of the magazine are going for upwards of $200,” Reiter said.

“I hope you’re holding that copy with white gloves when you’re handling it!”