It is almost time for the All-Star break in Major League Baseball as the teams play one more series, then have a few days off. Here is a look at the five most profitable teams in Major League Baseball in terms of sports betting so far this season.
Houston Astros
Sports Betting Profit: +1,960
Going into Friday’s second of a four game set in Toronto, the Astros had a record of 58-28 and led the Los Angeles Dodgers by 15.5 games in the American League West. Why are they profitable? Because they’re a really good baseball team, especially offensively. They’re 1st in the majors with a 3.94 ERA, and their bullpen has to be really good because the Astros are tied for 24th with 33 quality starts. But it is at the plate where the Astros really score. They’re 1st in runs (494), batting average (.287), on-base percentage (.352) and slugging percentage (.493). The Astros score a lot of runs and win baseball games. Also, a 31-10 record away from home, which is the best in the majors, doesn’t hurt.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Sports Betting Profit: +1,666
The Diamondbacks are right in the thick of it with the Dodgers and Rockies in the National League West. They’re very good at the plate, ranking in the top 10 in runs (5th, 439), batting average (9th, .261), on-base percentage (8th, .329) and slugging percentage (7th, .447). However, the Diamondbacks are surprisingly good on the mound, ranking 2nd with a 3.39 ERA, 4th with 44 quality starts, 4th with a 1.24 WHIP and 3rd in batting average at .235. They also take care of business at home with a 32-13 record.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Sports Betting Profit: +1,592
The Dodgers lead the NL West by 5.5 games and have a fantastic home record of 36-11 (the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are the only MLB teams with 30 or more home wins). They’re solid at the plate, ranking 4th in runs with 449 and on-base percentage at .343, they’re 9th in slugging percentage at .445 and 14th with a .256 batting average. But it is on the mound where the Dodgers make their money. They lead the majors in ERA (3.19), WHIP (1.13) and batting average (.223). This is all the more impressive as they’re tied for 14th in quality starts with 38. The Dodgers are very hard to score on.
To no one’s surprise, the pitching staff has been led by Clayton Kershaw but he’s been backed up with plenty of help. Alex Wood is having a career year with a 1.67 ERA and Kenta Maeda has posted a respectable 1.19 WHIP. The Dodgers look like the team to beat in the National League right now.
Milwaukee Brewers
Sports Betting Profit: +1,522
The Brewers are the surprise team of the first half as they lead the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs by 4.5 games in the NL Central. They’re 7th in the majors with 434 runs and 5th with a slugging percentage of .450. They’re 8th in ERA at 4.10, but rank in the middle of the majors in the other major categories. They’re better than average at home (26-23) and on the road (22-17), and they’ve gone over the total 47 times, which is the most of any team on this list. The Brewers have been able to take advantage when they’re favored, going 21-14. The big question is, can they continue it in the second half of the season?
Colorado Rockies
Sports Betting Profit: +1394
The Colorado Rockies weren’t expected to be much of a contender this season. However, as we enter Friday, they have 50 wins already and are pushing for a playoff spot. Whenever you have that type of divergence from expectations and reality, of course a team is going to be profitable. It took bettors almost a month to realize that this team was for real.
The Rockies have been fading over the last month and the Dodgers have shot up the ranks – Los Angeles is 23-4 in their last month – so keep that in mind going forward. The Rockies have lost 12 of their last 14 and need to hit the All-Star Break in the worst way. We’ll see if some time off serves them well or whether they continue to struggle down the stretch of the season.
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