The Orioles finished with Major League Baseball‘s worst record last season at 52-110 (tied with the Diamondbacks). Because of this, it was no surprise expectations in Baltimore were low heading into the 2022 campaign.
To illustrate the above point, DraftKings set the Orioles’ over/under for total wins this season at 62.5 (-115 odds to hit the over, -105 odds to finish under). The team also tied for the longest odds of any team to win its respective division and the World Series.
However, the Orioles — who won 10 straight, their longest winning streak since 1999, before it was snapped by the Rays last Friday — had different plans. Sure, Baltimore sits in last place in the American League East. But at 46-46, the .500 Orioles are turning heads in the league, and at sportsbooks.
Retail sports betting has been live at five of Maryland’s six casinos since December 2021. They are:
- Live! Casino & Hotel (FanDuel)
- MGM National Harbor (BetMGM)
- Horseshoe Casino Baltimore (Caesars)
- Hollywood Casino Perryville (Penn National/Barstool)
- Ocean Downs Casino (TwinSpires)
Online sports betting, while initially hoped to be available in the state by the start of the NFL season, will eventually follow. However, an official timeline has not yet been established.
For the latest on mobile sports betting in the Old Line State, be sure to check out PlayMaryland‘s Live Updates page.
Bettors taking notice of red-hot Orioles
With 92 games played already, Baltimore is more than halfway through the season. Nearly even through that span, the Orioles are on pace to blow past the 62.5 over/under for wins.
Some may point to the recent 10-game winning streak against mostly inferior opponents and say it’s an outlier. However, take away those games and Baltimore still boasted a winning percentage of 0.443 prior. Extend that over the course of a 162-game season, and the Orioles still hit the over by nearly 10 games.
When you take into account the team’s roster, the feat becomes even more impressive. According to ESPN Stats, Baltimore is the first team since at least 1990 to win 10 consecutive games in a season despite starting the year with the lowest payroll in all of MLB.
All that to say is that this year’s team is not the same as last year’s; bettors have taken notice.
“Baltimore was one of those teams where, without even looking, people would bet against them every day. That has stopped, so that’s been the most significant change where they’re no longer the automatic fade,” Eric Biggio, lead baseball trader at Caesars, said.
According to Caesars, Baltimore has been the most bet-on team to win the AL East and the AL pennant over the last week. During the same span, the Orioles are sixth in tickets to win the World Series behind the top dogs in the Yankees, Braves, Dodgers, Mets and Astros.
On Monday, Caesars saw its two largest Orioles futures back come through the sportsbook. The first was a $1,000 bet on the team to win it all at 500-1 odds, with the second (separate bettor) placing $1,000 on Baltimore winning the pennant (250-1 odds).
Additionally, a Maryland bettor also placed $200 on the Orioles to win the World Series when the odds were previously sitting at 2000-1. While that’s unlikely, the wager would net this bettor $400,000, the third-highest potential win of any 2022 World Series future at Caesars, should the team shock the world.
Is Baltimore the best bet in MLB?
Despite still sporting a losing record for much of the season thus far, the Orioles have been one of the best bets in baseball this season.
Take the recent win streak, for example. If a bettor placed $10 on the Orioles in their first game of this run and rolled over the moneyline winnings throughout Game 8 of the recent win streak, one would have been up to $1,262.55. In fact, Baltimore has also been the most profitable moneyline bet of any team this campaign, per Caesars.
- Twins (+133) — $13.30
- Rangers (-104) — $22.92
- Rangers (-104) — $44.96
- Rangers (-105) — $87.78
- Angels (+101) — $176.44
- Angels (-127) — $315.37
- Angels (+106) — $649.66
- Angels (-106) — $1,262.55
To start the season, one of the best bets in baseball was the Orioles under, as the team finished under its runs total for 11 of its first dozen games in 2022. Taking it a step further, if you bet unders in Baltimore’s first 15 games, you would have gone 12-1-2.
“I’d say the Orioles are the biggest adjustment for me this season in terms of individual game lines,” Biggio said.
Looking ahead to All-Star break
After hitting double digits, the Orioles lost two of three to the Rays during a weekend series. Baltimore now heads into the All-Star window five games behind Tampa Bay in the division standings. It is also 3.5 games out of a wild-card position.
Most players will use the next few days — which will include the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game — as a break from baseball. That is everyone except Jorge López, who was named Baltimore’s lone 2022 All-Star selection. The closer has posted a 1.62 ERA, a 0.925 WHIP and a 10.4 K/9 ratio. He’s also converted 17 of 21 save attempts this season.
