Outsiders: Who Can Upset the Odds Late in the MLB Season?

Back in the 2011 MLB season, things were coming to a head around late August. The likes of the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers had all stamped their authority on their divisions, and they were locked in for a place in the postseason. In the NL Central, few were paying attention to the St Louis Cardinals, who were, at one point, 10.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race.  The Cardinals’ odds for a World Series win were around 1,000/1 at one point. Yet, the team went on a rip to secure a Wild Card spot on the final day of the regular season, then duly obliged through the postseason, becoming World Series winners after dispatching the Texas Rangers over seven games.  The Cardinals’ comeback season is one of the best in sports history, arguably on a par with Leicester City’s Premier League title win in 2016. It is, of course, a rare event to see such a comeback, but it does happen in baseball and other sports. Right now in MLB, we can point to the Baltimore Orioles, LA Dodgers, and Cleveland Guardians as the teams leading the MLB odds for a World Series win in 2024. But can we find any teams that offer betting value? Let’s look at some who might be worth a shot, even if the odds are stacked against them: Boston Red Sox Current odds circa 50/1 Currently fighting it out for a Wild Card spot in the American League East, the Sox have had a strange season thus far. Few expected them to be competitive, but they have defied the naysayers to rattle the teams around them. The AL East is a brutal division, containing the Orioles and Yankees, both of whom have serious World Series aspirations, but the Sox just won’t go away. For a period across May and June, they held the best record in MLB. Our main reservation is that the Sox’ management was not aggressive enough going into the MLB trade deadline. But nobody will want to meet them should they nick a Wild Card spot. This is a team whose history is built on shocking baseball.  San Diego Padres  Odds circa 30/1  The Padres have been tagged as one of those teams that always threatens to be a World Series winner – the next season. But why not this season? They’ve been hot since coming back from the All-Star Break, and they have every chance to cement a Wild Card spot, perhaps even rein in the Dodgers in the NL West. Jurickson Profar has become the clutch batter they have lacked in recent seasons.  Arizona Diamondbacks Odds circa 22/1 – 50/1  Some sportsbooks are as high as 50/1 on the Diamondbacks, whereas others only offer half those odds. They are in a race with the Padres and Dodgers in the NL West, but they arguably have more momentum. What’s more, they may get some key pitchers healthy for the final stretch. Everything could add up nicely, and if you can get the higher odds, it might be well worth the risk.  Kansas City Royals  Odds circa 40/1  The Royals vie with the Minnesota Twins and Red Sox, as well as the outsiders Tampa Bay Rays (see below) for the AL Wild Card spots. They have a true “ringer” in Bobby Witt Jr., the kind of player you can build a championship narrative around. Some key fixtures in late August will tell us all we need to know about the Royals’ postseason credentials.  Tampa Bay Rays  Odds circa 100/1 – 225/1 Finishing with a team that would provide the biggest longshot of all. The Rays are currently 4th in AL East, with two of the best teams in baseball – the Orioles and Yankees – well ahead of them, as well as the unshakeable Red Sox. Right now, though, they have a better record than the Houston Astros, a team that is priced around 12/1 to win the World Series. That tells you a lot. If they can somehow steal a Wild Card spot in that brutal AL East, the Rays can head to the postseason with some momentum.  

Bwin Overview 

Bwin Overview Bwin has an impressive amount of registered users at 13 million customers, and they are spread out over 25 different markets. They possess several gaming licenses issued by several countries such as Germany, Italy, and Gibraltar. They offer many different types of games and betting including sports, poker, casino games, skill games, and live streams of sporting events. They are a relatively new name due to a series of mergers starting back with PartyGaming in 1997. Even so, the lack of familiarity with the name may be off-putting for more seasoned bettors. Bwin and Party continue to operate as separate brands. Neither .com site currently accepts American residents. However, Party Poker through a partnership with the Borgata casino is licensed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming to offer online poker and casino games to New Jersey citizens. Betting Bonuses First deposits on Bwin can net new customers up to £30. To gain any bonus for a first deposit. However, you must be sure to put down at least £10. This first time bonus can be rolled over three times. If you have used Bwin before, this bonus will not be available to you so keep that in mind when looking at gifts. If you have previously had an account in the online casino or poker room, you are not eligible. This bonus in and of itself may be attractive but what sets this bonus above the rest is that it is truly free to play. It is not just a risk-free bet such as a rebate would be. You will not receive the bonus in a lump sum but will instead get two separate deposits after placing real money bets. Other than those bonuses, Bwin also has a player points program. When you play, you can earn two different types of points: Market and Status points. Status points determine your ranking and perks within Bwin whereas the Market points can be redeemed for cash or other products. It is unclear if these points can be earned off of sports betting or if they are only available for casino bets which could be a huge detractor for those that prefer sports betting. This seems to be a more common theme with some of the newer names in online betting which can be a significant advantage for the companies that offer rewards on sports betting. Advantages Bwin has an excellent gaming platform. Bwin impresses when it comes to their user interface. The software used to bet is exceptional, and they have a large variety of sports and markets available. Navigation is relatively straightforward even though there appears to be a lot happening on the screen. The upper left-hand corner of the display also shows the most popular bets for the day and the page won’t reload if you click on a sport and place a bet. Customers can even make favourites so they can quickly navigate through their top betting areas. There is a reported issue with customer service, however. There are no forms in which 24-hour customer service is available which seems odd in this day and age. However, the website is available in over 20 languages which make it perfect for the global betting market.

Unibet Overview 

Unibet Overview Unibet is the biggest online gambling sites in the world. Having been around since 1997, they have racked up over twenty years in the gambling business which is a pretty long time for most online gaming sites. Few people know that they are predominantly one of the biggest betting locations in the world. They operate in over 100 countries and have over 14 million registered users. Their site is translated into over 20 different languages. Unibet has their main offices in Malta. Their parent company is Nordic OMX, which is a Swedish and Finnish financial services company. The company operates several exchanges in the Nordic and Baltic states. Unibet Group plc is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stockholm. Unibet hold licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority, the Remote Gambling Commission of the Government of Gibraltar, and the Alderney Gaming Commission. Unibet’s gaming operations span the globe, but they are not available in some countries including residents of the United States, Portugal, and Canada. Betting Bonuses Unibet doesn’t appear to have a great loyalty program for their sportsbook bettors. They have one for their casino players but are severely lacking for their sports bettors. However, their odds are excellent. This is particularly the case when it comes to sports betting, where their advantage is subtle than the vast majority of others bookies. Where Unibet excels is in live streaming and betting. Almost every sport has some in-play betting availability, and about 30% allow for live betting. As such, Unibet should be a top pick for live betting connoisseurs. The lack of deposit bonuses may be a deterrent, but they do have good odds and other bonuses. These odds make up for the very few downsides found with Unibet. They might not be the first name to pop up for online betting, but maybe they should be. Advantages The largest benefit for Unibet comes from its live betting and odds. They are practically unrivalled in this aspect of their sports book betting. However, there have been quite a few complaints on their customer service side. It seems that they also offer 24/7 customer support through live chat. However, users often have to wait around half hour for a response. Communication lines are not available at all hours and have excessive wait times. Even email responses, which should be the fastest, seem to take more than a day which is subpar in this technology driven world. Aside from issues with support, there isn’t a whole lot of other negatives. Their maximum payout per day is small at £100,000 per day in the main markets, but that’s perfectly acceptable to the vast majority of punters. Their welcome bonus is a bit small at £25, but they more than makeup for this with their top-tier odds. All in all, Unibet is good for those that have a good understanding of odds and prefer live betting but for those who like player perks and high customer support may find Unibet lacking.  

William-Hill

Overview William Hill is a staple in the betting world as they have been around for ages. They started out in 1934 taking bets through the mail and phone. Decades later they opened in person betting establishments, and then 2000 brought the betting establishment online. They make many different kinds of bets including sports, horses, politics, and casino games. They still take bets over the phone and have an online gaming platform for all of their types of betting. They also have a mobile app for betting on the go. Betting Bonuses There are many sports betting bonuses available from William Hill. They have an ongoing cash back program so that you get a return on any money you bet. They also give out free bets for new players who can be used on bets with odds over 1/2. They also have a system where you can receive a refund as a free bet if you lose. This is available on accumulator selections. If one of your selections (of 5 or more at 1/5 or higher) loses, you get the free bet as long as it is not a live bet. If accumulators are your thing, they also give you  £5 worth of free bets when you spend £20 or more. They also allow you to cash out your bet under certain circumstances so if the game is going south; this might be a boon. Additionally, William Hill releases what are called Enhanced Odds on different markets each day. These will be marked with a unique logo and have a special price so when you see it you know, you’re getting a deal. If that weren’t enough, William Hill also offers an active, frequent players program. When you play games using real currency, you’ll earn two types of points: WHPoints (WHPs) and Club Points (CPs). WHPs are earned during real money games and tourneys. Every €1.00 you pay makes you 10 points. WHPs are used to determine club status. They can also be used when cashing out bonus money. WHPs can also earn you up to €5 cash every week. For every 50 points, you get €.50. CPs accumulate based on club status when you play real money games. If you have a high status, you get a larger multiplier which gives you more points. These are used to get into points tournaments. There is also a shop where points can be turned into cash. The smallest amount of money you can earn is €10 by turning in 1,000 CPs. The largest amount is €2,500 and is secured by turning in 187,500 CPs. Tournament tickets with values between €2 and €50 can be redeemed for 200 and 4,000 CPs, respectively. Advantages William Hill boasts many benefits. They take a man in many different kinds of payments and even accept bets in many various types of currencies including yen, dollars of various kinds, Euros. They also boast an extensive customer service department with online chat, phone, and email contacts available so you can get a hold of them in whatever form you prefer. Live chat appears to be the fastest way to get a question answered. The varied and many bonuses are an advantage for those that like to get perks back on their betting. It’s a great venue for any gambler who enjoy being repaid for their patronage.  

Betfair

Overview Betfair is one of the world’s largest online betting sites. It is headquartered in the UK but works under a Gibraltar license. It has over 4 million customers and excels in the area of exchange betting. Instead of betting your money on a result against the bookkeeper, instead, you bet against other bettors. They do offer traditional sports book betting, but it seems that the majority of their business comes from the use of their exchange betting. Exchange betting offers choices to ‘back’ a team as you would in regular terms, or ‘lay’ if you think a selection won’t win. If you’re a little unfamiliar the intricacies of exchange betting, there are guides available on Betfair’s website which are perfect for novice bettors. While it is not surprising that a company specialising in exchange betting would offer a guide, it is still nice that they have it out there for their users. Betting Bonuses Betfair offers an incredibly enticing sign up feature for their sports betting. There are very few requirements, one of which is that the minimum odds must be 1/5. Meet that requirement, and you will be given £30 worth of free bets when you bet your first £10 upon sign-up and when you use the code ZSK200. These bets come in three batches of £10, though you can only use them on singles. It also features an affiliates program. Should you manage to entice friends into signing up for the same offer, you can earn an additional £/€25 free bet with the ‘Refer and Earn’ reward scheme. Betfair also seems to have a lot of random sign up offers come up on a pretty regular basis. They are worth following on Twitter to hear about promotions and specials deals. They do not seem to have a loyalty program, but the generous sign-up bonus along with the affiliate program may be enough for certain users. Advantages Betfair excels in the sports betting department. They offer the often untapped market of exchange betting as well as traditional sports book betting which is perfect for folks who want to focus on that market. The website is sleek, although not the best site available. The colour scheme is a bit disconcerting as yellow and black seem to be the colours of choice, but the website also has blue sections. The layout allows easy navigation. There are a casino, slot machines and an arcade for you to sink your teeth into, but the variety isn’t there as Betfair focuses on sports betting. If variety is your aim, Betfair may not be the site for you. In the contact department, Betfair seems to fair alright. They offer a pretty extensive contact us page with several different options to answer your queries, seven days a week telephone support from 7:30 am to 12:30 am as well as live chat and email. They even, oddly enough, offer their address if you want to write to them which is almost unheard of with online websites.

10Bet

Overview 10Bet has recently become a premier sports betting option worldwide. They aren’t as well-known as many other bookies, but they were established in 2003 and, therefore, have over a decade of experience. They are a privately owned company that is registered in Curacao. They hold a gaming license from Curacao as well as a license from the UK Gambling Commission. They feature many different types of sports betting but also have an online casino and virtual gaming which can all be accessed from the same account. They accept customers from many different countries even those that are considered grey markets. However, they do not take residents from the United States, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, France, Hungary and Gibraltar. The site is available in over ten different languages which are nice but is less languages than a lot of other internationally focused sites. Betting Bonuses The deposit bonus is larger than most other sites. Most bookies won’t offer customers much more than £50 for new players. At 10Bet, depending on where you’re located, you’re guaranteed a minimum of £100 and up to £200 as a first deposit bonus. They also provide frequent reloads. However, players in Poland and Ukraine are not eligible for this promotion. Many additional conditions are depending on where you live so be sure to read the fine print. Other than the deposit bonus, no player loyalty program appears to be available. This is an interesting choice, and it could easily turn off perspective customers. They also offer an affiliate program where you can market and recruit players to the 10bet site and for each player that signs up you receive a bonus. The more friends you refer, the higher reward you get. Advantages 10Bet odds are far from the best in the market, but they are certainly above average compared to some other sites. One thing that could be an attribute is that they post their odds very early. They are faster than other online betting sites which could allow a player to get bets in before the market moves. This is ideal for small stakes or novice betting, but larger bettors will feel limited by the low maximum payout limit. This limit is one of the cheapest online. This has led to a series of complaints from users. They are often accused of limiting bettors too quickly before they even have a chance to explain bonus deposits leading to a multitude of complaints. Another source of complaint seems to stem from their customer service although this may just be an extension of the issues with limitations. Their betting platform appears to be excellent. The software is clean and sleek in appearance, and the layout is good for those interested in the top markets of the day. After that, it’s a very long list of the sports they offer which can be almost overwhelming. If you are someone who loves to play multiple markets, 10Bet might be for you. Their pre-markets can outmatch just about anyone online, and their live betting is also exceptional.

Bet-At-Home

Overview Bet-at-home is a newer venue for betting compared to some of the more well-known sites such as William Hill. The company founded in 2000, has gone through several relaunches in an attempt to bring out the best gaming platform they could. The most recent launch in 2013 brought many improvements including an extensive array of sports to bet on, a casino room, poker, and live betting. It is based in Germany and holds several gaming licenses including the Italian Gaming Authority AAMS, the British Gambling Commission, and the Maltese Gaming Authority. They offer sports, casino and live betting with both mobile and desktop versions of the platform.  Strangely enough, they do not provide horse race betting on their site which makes them an oddity among their peers. Their website is known for having an honest approach to betting which is firstly reflected in the straightforward name of their website. Even though they seem to have a no-frills name compared to other sites, they don’t lack in the bells and whistles on the site.  They have all the polish of a gambling company that has been around for far longer than Bet-at-home. Betting Bonuses The initial sign-up bonus from Bet-at-home is a £20 free matched bet.  So anything you deposit is matched in free bets up to the value of £20.  If you deposit a sum greater than £20, you will receive a £20 free bet. You can claim the free bet if you have not made a deposit to your Bet-at-home account and you must claim the free bet within ten days of making your first deposit. However, you must be UK based. Within 90 days you must roll over the deposit and the free bet five times by placing bets of odds 1.7 and greater.  If you paid in more than £40, you must rollover £300 in the same period. Also, to claim the bonus, you must not have made a withdrawal, and they are only applicable to sports and live betting. Advantages There are a few advantages to using Bet-at-home. The site itself is offered in thirteen different languages which are ideal for folks who want to be able to bet in their mother tongue. It does have far fewer choices for depositing money and getting payouts, but this is made up for by the fact that they pay out on bets immediately. This eliminates headaches when trying to use your various winnings to bet on other events or games. It also features around the clock live betting so no matter what your schedule or where you are in the world, you can get in on the action of your favourite event. They also offer top odds which are perfect for those looking for the best payouts. Additionally, they have over 4.5 million users which mean there is never a shortage of other players to talk to or bet. In short, bet-at-home is a great option for those that do a lot of betting and can cash in on the bonuses offered.