MLB Betting: All-Star Break Moneyline Report Card

This week’s MLB All-Star break is a perfect opportunity to take a closer look at some of the big winners and costly losers this season when it comes to their return to bettors on a money-line wager. There have been some definite surprises along the way, both good and bad, during this first half of the MLB regular season

Using the current money-line standings on Odds Shark, the following is Doc’s Sports first-half MLB report card for a few of the best and worst performers in both the American and National League.

American League Winners

As of this Sunday’s results, the largest lead in any of the six division races was 4.5 games, and in the American League the team that has been the biggest surprise in a tight AL Central Division race has been the Minnesota Twins. They closed out the first half of the regular season with a three-game sweep of Detroit at home to pull within 4.5 games of the Kansas City Royals.

The Twins went 7-3 in their last 10 games to improve to 49-40 on the year. More importantly, their return on a money-line bet is tops in the majors at +$1,709. This run has been fueled by an impressive 31-16 record at home. Minnesota’s return on the road is actually down -$16.

The Royals have also stayed hot with seven victories in their last eight games to boost their record to an AL-best 52-34. Their overall return on the money line stands at +$1,595, and they remain the most balanced betting team in the league with a +$989 return at home and a +$606 return on the road.

The hottest team in the AL heading into the second half of the season is the Los Angeles Angels. They have gone 11-3 in their last 14 games to take a half-game lead over Houston in the AL West. Their return on the money line now stands at +$214 on the year following a slow start out of the gate.

American League Losers

It’s no big surprise that teams such as the Oakland Athletics (-$1,299) and the Boston Red Sox (-$951) are among the costliest teams to wager on in the AL given their unexpected losing records. The A’s are 41-50 on the year and bringing up the rear in the AL West. Boston is five games below .500 at 42-47 and 6.5 games in back of New York in the highly competitive AL East.

The Seattle Mariners (-$1,075) and the Cleveland Indians (-$983) have also been a disappointment with sub-.500 records through the first half of the season. Seattle is 7.5 games off the pace in the AL West, and the Indians are 11 games in back of Kansas City in the AL Central.

National League Winners

Betting the NL this season has been a risky proposition, and heading into this week’s All-Star break there are just six teams in this league with a positive return on a money-line bet through the first half of the season. The team head and shoulders above the rest has been the St. Louis Cardinals with an MLB-best record of 56-33. They also have the best money-line return in the NL at +$1,127, but this total took a hit following three losses in a four-game series against the rival Pittsburgh Pirates this past weekend.

The Pirates now have the second-best return in the NL at +$622, and they are just 2.5 games in back of St. Louis in the NL Central Division race. Pittsburgh is another team that has been a solid bet at home with a +$688 money-line return behind a record of 32-16 at PNC Park.

The Chicago Cubs (+$286) and the Atlanta Braves (+285) would get an honorable mention in the NL. San Francisco is still +$198 on the year, but the Giants have faded a bit with a 4-7 record in the month of July.

National League Losers

With nine NL teams posting a negative return on a money-line wager through the first half of the MLB season, there are plenty of names to fill this list. Our top two would have to be the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals. Both the Dodgers (51-39) and the Nationals (48-39) are holding down first place in their respective division, but Los Angeles has cost bettors -$565 on a money-line bet while Washington is -$189 in the red.

The Dodgers have been lousy on the road this season with a record of 18-22, while the Nationals are a bit more balanced with a 25-16 record at home and an even 23-23 record on the road.