You would now be sitting on a healthy profit if you had blindly wagered on a handful of MLB teams to win all their games this season. By contrast, other teams would have left you deep in the red if you had faithfully bet on them to win each game. If you had faded them, you would be laughing all the way to the bank. We have crunched the numbers to ascertain the most profitable teams and the least profitable teams for moneyline bettors so far this season. Read on to discover the heroes and villains for baseball bettors.
Most Profitable Teams to Bet On
1. Baltimore Orioles
You would be up by 21.44 units if you had wagered on the Orioles to win all of their games so far this season. That means $100 bettors would be $2,144 in the black. They hit their stride in July, when they racked up a 10-game winning streak. Baltimore is still firmly in wildcard contention, despite trading Trey Mancini and Jorge Lopez. They have left the Red Sox and the Rays in the dust, and they are giving the Rays and the Blue Jays a run for their money in the ultra-competitive AL East. No team would have delivered more profit for moneyline bettors this season, showing how important it is to identify intriguing underdogs when wagering on MLB games.
2. New York Mets
The Mets began the season as +1400 outsiders to win the World Series. They are now best priced at just +500 with BetRivers to win the MLB title after enjoying an extremely impressive season. They now have more regular season wins than the Yankees, who appeared on the brink of a historic year at one point. Anyone betting on the Yankees in each game would now be at a slight loss, whereas Mets bettors would be in 15.18 units of profit. Just one team – the Dodgers – has a better record so far, but the Mets have had more appealing odds on a routine basis, as they have been underrated thus far.
3. LA Dodgers
A 10-game winning streak in August cemented the Dodgers’ status as the best team in the majors. They lead the league in OPS and ERA, showing just how strong all-round they are. LA has been on fire since the start of July, shrugging off injuries to Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol and remaining remarkably consistent. Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman have been magnificent at the top of the lineup, while Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy have played their part in outgunning most opponents. Anyone betting on the Dodgers would be up 8.54 units – or $854 for $100 bettors – which is the third best mark in the league.
4. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners look well placed to secure a wildcard spot after enjoying a strong season so far. They have been equally strong at home and on the road, which has allowed them to secure some big underdog wins. As such, anyone betting dutifully on Seattle would be in 7.29 units of profit so far. The highlight was a 14-game winning streak this summer, and anyone riding that streak would have made a fantastic profit.
5. Houston Astros
The Astros are now the favorites to win the AL pennant. They have moved clear of the Yankees as the team with the best record in the AL, and you would be up by 6.48 units if you had bet on them to win all of their games. Most of their victories have been as favorites. As they have an impressive 37-18 record at home, but they have also secured some big wins against elite rivals, making Houston a great team to have been regularly backing this year.
Worst Teams to Bet On
1. Washington Nationals
The Nationals have been the best team to fade in the league so far this year. Anyone betting on them to win all their games would be facing up to a loss of 22.51 units. That would represent a $2,251 loss for anyone $100 bettors. It is largely down to Washington’s woeful record at Nationals Park. The team has the worst home record in the league, and it has also struggled on the road. They are on pace to go 53-109, but they may not even meet that, as it has been such a dreadful season for this team.
2. LA Angels
This has been a season to forget for the Angels. They have failed to live up to expectations, and only eight teams have a worse straight-up record in the majors this year. The Angels have struggled against high-quality opponents, and there are very few bright notes besides Shohei Ohtani. You would be down 21.08 units if you had been betting on them in every game.
3. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers have just fired Al Avila as general manager after he presided over another dismal season. The franchise is a mess, and whoever replaces him will need to radically overhaul the roster. They were expected to endure another tough year, so they have not been as good a fade as the Angels, but you would be down 15.87 units by routinely backing Detroit this year.
4. Miami Marlins
Marlins bettors would be down 14.88 units this season. They have been hit with some unfortunate injuries, and the home results have been weak, so this has been a pretty bleak year for the Marlins. The offense has continually underwhelmed this summer, so it is not surprising to see them sitting in this list of the worst MLB teams to bet on.
5. San Francisco Giants
The Giants have gone backwards this year. Some handicappers expected to challenge the Dodgers for supremacy in the NL West once again, but they have failed to live up to their billing. They have the 17th best straight-up record in the league, but they have been a great team to bet against, as expectations were so high at the start of the season. Any Giants fans continually betting on San Francisco would be facing up to a painful 14.03-unit loss right now.
