Ambitious $1 million parlay on MLB division winners is so doomed
A surprising MLB season thus far has opened the door to some unique and potentially very successful bets. No, I’m not talking about the bettor who placed some ill-advised money on an Oakland Athletics World Series. That’s not unique or promising. It’s just silly!
With squads like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Miami Marlins all leading or nearly leading their respective divisions, one bettor with FanDuel Sportsbook has decided to push their chips in.
They’ve set up an ambitious four-leg parlay on each of the Diamondbacks, Rangers, Pirates, and Marlins finishing their jobs for just $1.79. If they cashed out right now, they’d win almost $20. If they cashed out in the event all four squads actually won their divisions, they’d win a cool $997,480.19.
I’d say that’s pretty good!
Unfortunately, I don’t like the odds of this bettor’s success. Over two months into the season, it’s clear this group of teams has some staying power. I mean, the Diamondbacks are within striking distance of the National League’s best record with the perennial heavyweight Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
But for all four “underdog” teams to come through division-wise, that means four basic potential outcomes, at minimum, have to occur:
- Arizona has to have a better record than the Dodgers.
- Miami has to have a better record than the Braves.
- Texas has to have a better record than the Astros.
- Pittsburgh has to keep a wacky NL Central at bay.
One or two of these situations might indeed happen, but there’s no way all four manifest. In baseball, in any sport, the cream almost always rises to the top. At the very least, even if this bettor doesn’t win nearly $1 million, they only wagered the price of a good candy bar.
Here’s hoping Lady Luck turns out for their baseball betting hopes anyway.
