How Much Money Have You Ever Bet on a Regular Season Baseball Game?
Whatever the amount, it probably won’t be as good as one at the Beau Rivage casino on Tuesday. Someone at Biloxi Casino, Mississippi, bet a staggering $ 150,000 on the Los Angeles Dodgers to cover a 2.5-run spread against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And he or she lost that bet.
The Dodgers hit -115 to cover the spread. He or she clearly thought it was better value than the money line, as Los Angeles had -350 to earn directly. The Pirates were -105 to hold the game in two races or win and +280 to win directly. A Dodgers win by three or more runs would have given the bet just over $ 130,000 in that bet.
And that victory did not come. The Pirates picked up those +280 odds with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night.
The Dodgers were big favorites because the pitching game looked very unbalanced. Julio Urias started in Los Angeles while Mitch Keller took the mound for the Pirates. But Urias gave up eight hits and four runs while putting up eight in six innings. Keller walked five in five innings, but only conceded two hits and two runs in his time in the pile.
Michael Chavis hit a two-run homer against Urias in the first inning and Tucupita Marcano hit a two-run bomb in the second inning. These were all the races the Pirates needed, as Los Angeles could only throw one at the sixth inning before David Price allowed a run at the top of the ninth to win two Pirates.
The Dodgers remain the World Series favorites at BetMGM (+450) and have the best National League win percentage. It’s easy to see why this gambler was in love with Los Angeles. But regular season baseball can be weird at some points during the 162-game season. Tuesday night was a great example of how not always the best team wins.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias (7) in action during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 in Washington. (Photo by AP / Nick Wass)