MLB Betting – 2021 Home Run Derby Odds

Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby is returning with a bang and we should see plenty of fireworks when eight sluggers hit the field on Monday at Coors Field in Denver. Shuttered last year due to COVID, the league moved its All Star festivities to the Mile High City to attract more attention to the marquee event. That’s not why it happened but there could be some truth to it. The thin air in Denver has yielded some prodigious blasts over the years and this group of contestants could set all kinds of records.

I didn’t think anyone could show up Mike Trout during his injury absence, but Los Angeles Angels’ teammate Shohei Ohtani has taken advantage of the situation to become a hot topic in the majors. Not only will Ohtani participate in the Home Run Derby, he was also selected to the AL All Star team as a position player and pitcher. Ohtani leads the majors with 33 homers, nine more than Joey Gallo, the next closest in the competition. So it isn’t a complete surprise that Ohtani is the betting favorite with Gallo the second on the odds board.

There have been numerous changes to the Derby rules over the 35 years of its existence, but things have been relatively the same since 2015. Players will compete in a single-elimination bracket system with four minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. The winner proceeds to the next round with the loser grabbing some pine. The amount of prize money was increased a few years ago with a total of $2.5 million on the line with the winner grabbing $1 million of that. Like these guys need more money. But, hey, it should make for an exciting evening.

Visit BookMaker.eu for updated 2021 Home Run Derby odds and to place your bet. You can wager on the outright winner, which players will make it to the final round and who will hit the longest homer in any round, among others.

2021 Home Run Derby
Date and Time: Monday, July 12, 2021, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Coors Field, Denver, CO
Opening Home Run Derby Odds: Shohei Ohtani +200
Home Run Derby TV Coverage: ESPN

It’s hard to argue with Ohtani being the favorite in this competition. He leads the majors with 33 dingers and is the only player to surpass the 30-homer mark at the All-Star break. He seemed to really take off after Trout went down grabbing the torch from his teammate during a special first half. Ohtani has power to all fields and his stroke produces fly balls that will sail farther in the thin air. Ohtani has a tough first round matchup against Juan Soto, who has just 11 homers on the year. Soto is a mega talent with plenty of pop evidenced by his 80 career homers in a little over three seasons.

History is working against Ohtani since no favorite has even advanced to the final round since 2015. It’s hard to overlook third-favorite Pete Alonso. He’s the only competitor with Derby experience having won the title in 2019 and his raw power will be on display. Does familiarity with the field give Trevor Story a boost? He’ll likely need something since the power numbers are down. The Derby format is perfect for a guy like hit-or-miss Joey Gallo. He’s blasted 24 homers this season against live pitching so imagine what he’ll do getting batting practice lobs.

Odds to Win 2021 Home Run Derby

Shohei Ohtani +200 (33)
Joey Gallo +350 (24)
Pete Alonso +525 (17)
Matt Olson +650 (23)
Trevor Story +750 (11)
Juan Soto +950 (11)
Salvador Perez +975 (21)
Trey Mancini +1300 (16)

While the popularity of the Home Run Derby grows so do the ways to bet on the competition. You can bet the outright winner but also make a wager on which player(s) will reach the final round. Since you wagering on someone to get there and not on the outright winner the odds are shorter. For instance, Ohtani came in at +115 to win his bracket while Gallo opened +160 to join him from the other side. Coors Field has always been a hitter-friendly park and we will see some mammoth blasts off the bats of the competitors. And of course you can wager on which player hits the longest home run in any round. Ohtani has a few rips this year including a recent homer that measured over 470 feet. Ohtani is the favorite in this category as well.

Who Will Hit The Longest Home Run During Any Round

Shohei Ohtani +275
Joey Gallo +300
Pete Alonso +500
Trevor Story +550
Matt Olson +650
Juan Soto +800
Salvador Perez +1150
Trey Mancini +1500

Bet Home Run Derby at BookMaker.eu

I’ve never liked picking the favorite, but this Derby is a great showcase for Ohtani and he won’t be fazed by the moment. However, going through the grind a few years ago Alonso has the experience dealing with timed rounds and the fatigue of taking a bunch of swings in a short amount of time. While those two are solid picks, the event is perfect for Gallo and his swing for the fences mentality.

Home Run Derby Prediction: Joey Gallo +350

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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com