Mets, Padres Drawing Interest to Win Wide Open NL Pennant
Odds Leaders:
- Los Angeles Dodgers +275 –> +200
- New York Mets +550 –> +325
- Atlanta Braves +650 –> +550
The Dodgers entered the season as the odds-on favorite to capture the World Series, and they’ve been as good as advertised, but there’s also been much more competition at the top of the league’s standings than anticipated. Each of the top four teams in odds with the Dodgers, Mets, Braves, and San Diego Padres (+600) have all seen their odds increase since they opened, while the Milwaukee Brewers have seen theirs fall from +800 to +900.
After a slow start to the campaign and potentially a World Series hangover, the Braves have once again entered the conversation as a contender and currently sit 13-games above .500 entering Tuesday. With their offense now in full swing and their rotation figuring itself out, there’s a lot to like about the reigning champs, and they should be considered a threat to repeat and win the NL Pennant. With Matt Olson making himself at home and Ronald Acuna Jr. back atop the team’s batting order, there’s little doubt the Braves present a real threat to the Dodgers and Mets.
Ticket Percentage:
- New York Mets 22.0%
- Los Angeles Dodgers 14.8%
- Philadelphia Phillies 12.6%
In terms of tickets, the public has placed over one-fifth of them on the New York Mets, who currently own the highest ticket percentage to win the NL Pennant, followed by the Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. The St. Louis Cardinals (8.3%) and Atlanta Braves (8.1%) are among the top five.
You have to think that the Mets like their current position, especially without many contributions from the dynamic duo that is Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. With Scherzer set to return to action tonight and deGrom’s season debut on the horizon, the Mets will be a significant player in the National League market, especially with Taijuan Walker adding depth to their rotation. As it stands, they represent the most significant liability at BetMGM.
Handle Percentage:
- San Diego Padres 28.1%
- New York Mets 23.9%
- Los Angeles Dodgers 13.6%
The money has gravitated towards two teams, the Padres and the Mets, who boast more than 50% of the handle. The Padres lead the pack with 28.1%, and it’s on the back of some significant bets, as they only account for 4.5% of the tickets. Conversely, the Phillies, with their 12.6% of tickets bet, represent only 6.8% of the handle.
The San Diego Padres have hung around in the NL West division race and sit 4.5-games back of the Dodgers, which is noteworthy as they continue to play without their star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. With that in mind, there’s been a lot to like about this roster, especially Manny Machado who has himself in the mix of the NL’s MVP discussion.
