MLB Odds: Don’t Cheat Yourself, Shop Around For World Series MVP Bets
Braves outfielder Jorge Soler is the favorite at most sportsbooks
The World Series MVP betting market is as fascinating as it is fluid.
A committee of reporters and league officials vote on the award during the final game and American sportsbooks do their best to maintain the market, which tends to shift on a game-by-game basis. One big swing late in a series -- a la David Freese -- can change everything.
With the Atlanta Braves leading the series 3-2, Braves outfielder Jorge Soler is currently the consensus betting favorite around +550. But Soler's teammates Adam Duvall, Freddie Freeman and Austin Riley are all right there. After that Atlanta quartet, it's Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley of the Houston Astros.
The race is extremely wide-open and it's paramount that you shop for the best odds.
As you can see, your money goes a long way if you go price shopping. A $100 dollar bet on Soler wins you $500 at BetMGM, Borgata, Caesars and PointsBet if he takes home the World Series MVP. However, that same $100 wins you $600 at DraftKings and FanDuel, $1,200 at SuperBook and $3,300 at FOX Bet.
Why would you cheat yourself out of $2,800?
Riley's odds are another perfect example of why you should always be shopping. There are five different betting prices on Riley across those eight American sportsbooks.
Austin Riley World Series MVP odds
+400 SuperBook ($100 wins $400)
+650 FanDuel
+650 FOX Bet
+800 DraftKings
+850 BetMGM
+850 Borgata
+900 Caesars
+900 PointsBet ($100 wins $900)
"I have a dozen legal online accounts," one professional sports bettor told NESN. "Maximizing your money is everything. A common mistake that new bettors make is they sign up for one or two apps and only use those. Book A could be dealing you +850 on a future bet, Book B could be at +1200 and Book C could be +1800. You're only hurting your own bankroll if you don't diversify."
Freeman is still very enticing to me and he's anywhere from +700 to +1200 in the market. You can literally make an extra nickel off a $100 bet just by wagering at the right sportsbook.
I spoke to another respected bettor who is adamant that the Astros come back and win the World Series. This person made World Series MVP wagers on Altuve at 20-to-1 and Carlos Correa at 25-to-1 because he's buying the dip and trying to get ahead of the curve.
If the Astros win Game 6 behind a series-changing homer from Correa, what do you think his odds will be Wednesday morning? I'll tell you right now, those double-digit numbers will be long gone. The Astros will be favored to win a deciding seventh game at Minute Maid Park and their top MVP candidates will have ascended up the betting boards like clockwork.
That's how this racket works.
The moral of the story is simple: If you're still trying to make a bet on the World Series MVP, please do yourself a favor and get the best price.
Your wallet will thank you for the extra lettuce if you win.
