With the exception of horse racing, where the vigorish is so deep that all but a handful of bettors are drowned in it, no sport offers more daily wagering opportunities than Major League Baseball. "America's Pastime," which (go figure) opened its season in Tokyo, Japan, Mar. 30, provides nearly uninterrupted action through September.
In addition to a typical menu that often includes more than a dozen games a day,
The Greek Sportsbook also offers future book wagering on World Series, pennant and division winners, as well as a popular over/under proposition on regular season victories for each team.
But, for us, that's just the leadoff hitter. In fact, we offer over 100 other ways to wager on the MLB campaign, more options than many Nevada books provide on the Super Bowl. And this is just the regular season, not the World Series.
Here's a glimpse at some of the more intriguing, inventive and, OK, we admit it, off-the-wall, bets available. All quoted odds were accurate at the start of the season. Please check
The Greek Sportsbook web site for updated props and prices:
- You can bet whether the 2004 Yankees will score more runs than the record 1,067 scored by the 1931 Yankees. "Yes" opened at +300 (bet $100 to win $300) while "No" began at -400 (bet $400 to win $100).
- Player versus player matchups for base hits, home runs, RBIs, pitching victories, saves and steals abound. For example, at the start of the season you could lay 3.5 hits and -120 that Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra would get more hits than rival NY shortstop Derek Jeter, who opened at +3.5 and -110.
Or you could match area code swappers such as New York's Alex Rodriguez and Texas' Alfonso Soriano in the home run race. Bettors had the option of laying three home runs and -135 with A-Rod or taking three bombs and +105 with Soriano.
Those interested in run production were able to lay two RBIs and call it even (-115) whether it's Kansas City's Carlos Beltran or Atlanta's Chipper Jones who drives in more runs this season.
Among top firemen, you had to lay 3.5 and -120 with Braves reliever John Smoltz or take the Dodgers Eric Gagne, +3.5, -110 for more saves.
In a matchup of former teammates, the Astros Andy Pettitte, +1, -105, was pitted against the Yankees Mike Mussina, -1, -125, for more wins.
- There are matchups for regular season victories among a variety of teams. For instance, if you believe the Yankees will win more games than will the rival NY Mets, you would have had to lay 18 victories and -120 at the start of the season. In the battle of the Bay, it was Oakland -6 wins and even money against San Francisco, +6 and -130 on opening day. You could lay 10 wins and -125 with the Cubs or take 10 games and lay -105 with the White Sox in the showdown in Chicago.
- The Yankees were 7/1 to be the first American League team to score 13 runs in a game with the Tigers and Devil Rays, each at odds of 15/1, the least likely to reach that threshold first. Eleven National League teams were bunched at odds of 10/1 to be the first to score 13 runs in a game.
- Barry Bonds opened as the 9/2 favorite to slug the most HRs during the 2004 regular season. Sammy Sosa was the second choice at odds of just over 5/1 with A-Rod third at 6/1. The list went 48 names deep with a field bet (anyone else) at 12/1.
- Despite starting the year on the 15-day DL, the Cubs Mark Prior opened as the 5/1 favorite to lead the League in pitching victories this year. Toronto's Roy Halladay, Boston's Pedro Martinez and San Francisco's Jason Schmidt all were quoted at odds of 8/1.
- Then there are the more provocative props such as whether Shoeless Joe Jackson (+380) or Pete Rose (-500) will be granted full reinstatement to baseball first. There's also a prop on whether Rose will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame by 2005. "No" opened at -600; "Yes" was +400.
- You could lay -115 either way on whether the first player to fail a steroid test is from the American or National League. Or lay -130 that the player who fails the first steroid test will be American or foreign (even money) born.
- It's never fun to receive a pink slip but you could wager on which manager will be the first to file for unemployment benefits. Toronto's Carlos Tosca, Cleveland's Eric Wedge and Detroit's Alan Trammell each opened 5/1 to get the heave-ho among American League skippers. The most secure were first-year mentors Ozzie Guillen in Chicago, Baltimore's Lee Mazzilli and Terry Francona in Boston.
Short-tempered Philadelphia skipper Larry Bowa opened as a 7/2 favorite among National League managers to be the first dismissed. At odds of 20/1, Atlanta's Bobby Cox seemingly has the most job security.
