Advertisement

MLB betting: Bettors are backing Luis Robert, Ronald Acuna Jr. to win MVP

pete truszkowski
·6 min read

We are officially just two weeks away from MLB opening day. As the season approaches, now is the time to lock in some future bets at BetMGM in order to secure some potential big paydays as well as infinite bragging rights if your long-shot pick comes through.

Bets are already coming in for players to win the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues. Which players are getting the most action heading into the season?

AL MVP

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Luis Robert being an intriguing long shot for AL MVP. It seems like a lot of other people are also intrigued by the young White Sox outfielder.

Currently at BetMGM, over 23% of bets and over 27% of the money is on Robert to win the AL MVP. Despite all of the action, Robert's odds remain at 30-to-1 to take home the hardware. He's the biggest liability for BetMGM as we approach opening day.

CHICAGO - OCTOBER 10: Luis Robert #88 of the Chicago White Sox looks on after scoring a run and colliding with Home Plate Umpire Tom Hallion #20 in the fourth inning during Game Three of the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros on October 10, 2021 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
Luis Robert is getting a lot of love to win AL MVP prior to the start of the MLB season. (Ron Vesely/Getty Images)

Behind Robert, two other long shots are getting some love in the betting market. Kyle Tucker of the Astros, currently 35-to-1 to win MVP, has received over 12% of the bets and over 17% of the money. Byron Buxton is getting the third-most action at 30-to-1.

Reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani is the current betting favorite at +350 to win the MVP this year, but he's gotten just 2.5% of the bets. His teammate, Mike Trout, has the second-best odds at +400 but he's also getting under 3% of bets. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has the third-best odds at +450, and he's getting slightly more love but still only receiving 3.5% of the betting action.

NL MVP

Ronald Acuna Jr. won't be ready for opening day and he likely will only DH for the first two months of the season when he does return. However, this isn't stopping bettors from backing the Braves outfielder to win NL MVP coming off a season-ending injury last year.

Acuna opened with 10-to-1 odds to win NL MVP, but those odds are down to +700. He's currently received nearly 20% of the action at BetMGM. How will Acuna's injury impact his play? Speed is a big part of his game and that might be impacted by the knee injury. Will voters hold him missing games and spending a part of the season as only a DH against him?

Behind Acuna, reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper is getting the second-most love. Over 9% of bets are backing the Phillies slugger to win his second straight MVP at +900. Pete Alonso of the Mets is getting the third-most bets. Alonso is a long shot at 40-to-1.

The current MVP favorite in the NL is Juan Soto at +275. He's gotten a little over 4% of the betting action thus far.

The biggest liability for BetMGM at this moment could come as a surprise. Marcell Ozuna served a suspension for domestic violence last season, but he's expected to return for the Braves this season. Ozuna is 80-to-1 to win NL MVP and 24.5% of the money wagered is backing him to win NL MVP.

AL Cy Young

While bettors aren't backing Shohei Ohtani to win the MVP this year, the two-way star is getting some love in the Cy Young market.

Ohtani is 25-to-1 to win the AL Cy Young and currently 19% of bets are backing him to do just that. Ohtani gets a lot of love for his bat, but he's also a very good pitcher. The concern with Ohtani is whether he'll be able to throw enough innings to make a serious push.

Gerrit Cole of the Yankees is the betting favorite to win the AL Cy Young at +400. He's gotten the second-most action. Behind Cole is Dylan Cease at 16-to-1, who has gotten over 11% of the bets.

The biggest liability at BetMGM currently is Alek Manoah. Manoah burst on the scene last year and is currently 20-to-1 to win the Cy Young. Over 20% of the money is backing Manoah to win the hardware.

NL Cy Young

Jacob deGrom was well on his way to winning the NL Cy Young for the third time in four seasons in 2021. He was even the betting favorite to win NL MVP. However, it all came crashing down for deGrom when he missed most of the second half of the season due to injury.

Despite that, deGrom is getting nearly 30% of the action and over 54% of the betting handle to win the Cy Young in 2022. He's the betting favorite at +350. If deGrom stays healthy, he'll almost certainly be in the running.

Behind deGrom is his new teammate, Max Scherzer. Scherzer is getting nearly 15% of the bets. Mad Max is +700 to win the Cy Young.

Bettors are intrigued by Ranger Suarez of the Phillies. He was transitioned from the bullpen to the rotation last year and sparkled, posting a 1.36 ERA on the season. Suarez opened at 200-to-1 to win the Cy Young, but that's down to 100-to-1 at BetMGM. He's currently the biggest liability for the oddsmakers and has received the third-most bets and second-most money.

AL Rookie of the Year

Bobby Witt Jr. enters as the favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year at +300, and he's getting a modest 4.3% of the action. Spencer Torkelson (+450), Adley Rutschman (+550) and Shane Baz (+700) are all getting a similar amount of action.

However, three longer shots are getting more betting action heading into the season.

Riley Greene of the Tigers is getting the most bets at 16-to-1. Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners has received the most money thus far, and his odds sit at +900. Jarren Duran of the Red Sox is getting the third-most action at his current odds of 40-to-1.

NL Rookie of the Year

Due to the injury of Fernando Tatis, CJ Abrams is getting a lot of love for NL Rookie of the Year. Abrams opened at 50-to-1 to win the award, but he's down to just 13-to-1 now that it looks like he has a path to a roster spot and playing time in San Diego. Abrams has received almost 44% of the bets and over half the betting handle thus far.

Oneil Cruz, an infielder prospect for the Pirates, is the betting favorite to win the award at +350. However, he's received just 3.5% of the betting action.

Seiya Suzuki, the 27-year old outfielder from Japan, is expected to be a key part of the Cubs lineup this season. Suzuki is +500 to win NL Rookie of the Year and he's gotten the second-most money.