Other than a three-game winning streak from 2010 to ’12, the National League has been terrible in the MLB All-Star Game for a while.
Since 1997, the American League is 21-3-1 in the All-Star Game. That includes nine in a row. It’s hard to explain, but the AL’s dominance has been going on for a quarter-century.
Even so, the odds at BetMGM for the AL and the NL to win Tuesday are -110.
If the NL is going to figure it out, this might be the year. The NL has a good group of elite players, which is shown by the MVP race. Shohei Ohtani is running away with the AL MVP award, in part because he’s having a historic season but also because nobody is challenging him. In the NL, Ronald Acuña Jr. is the clear favorite, but players such as Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto and Corbin Carroll would have great cases if Acuña weren’t going nuclear.
Mostly, it’s nearly impossible to analyze any All-Star game. While competitive tendencies show up in the game, neither side is treating it too seriously. That makes it harder to pick who will win.
But if you like trends, getting the American League at a pick ’em is your play. They’ve been a good bet since the 1990s.
Here’s the first look at the sports betting slate for Tuesday:
All-Star Game props
It’s baseball’s All-Star week, which means there isn’t a lot going on for a few days. And the only thing more difficult than predicting an All-Star Game might be delving into props.
There are limited props at BetMGM for the game. You can bet on what happens in the first plate appearance for each of the starters (walk/hit by pitch, strikeout, single, extra base hit or other) and things like if either starting pitcher Gerrit Cole or Zac Gallen will strike out the side in the first inning (+800). Because the starters are unlikely to play the whole game, normal props on whether a certain hitter will get a home run aren’t up at BetMGM. It’s not exactly like betting the Super Bowl.
There is WNBA
If you want something to bet on that’s not baseball, Wimbledon or soccer, there are a couple of WNBA games. The Washington Mystics are 6.5-point favorites over the Seattle Storm, and the Las Vegas Aces are 17.5-point favorites over the Phoenix Mercury. The Aces are a league-best 17-2 this season.
What’s the best bet?
Maybe it’s just because I don’t believe in trends that don’t make logical sense, but I’ll go with the National League in the All-Star Game. The league that includes the red-hot Atlanta Braves is fine by me.
