Home » Blog » 2019 MLB Home Run Derby Betting Preview and Picks
2019 MLB Home Run Derby Betting Preview and Picks
2019 MLB Home Run Derby Betting Preview – Odds and Picks
The MLB All-Star game is almost here, but before the Midsummer Classic, we have the always entertaining, MLB Home Run Derby.
The Derby takes place before the All-Star game on Monday Night and several All-Stars will be participating in the event. Most importantly, you can bet it on it! We’ll break down the betting odds for the 2019 MLB Home Run Derby and give you some of our favorite picks to win.
Home Run Derby Rules You Should Know About Before Betting
The rules have changed quite a bit since the competition was introduced to fans and gamblers alike, 34 years ago. In 2015, they decided to get rid of the “outs” format and added a time limit for each round, so each slugger can blast away until their 4 minutes is up. These are the general Hom Run Derby rules:
The format is also a head-to-head bracket with single elimination. The slugger who hits more home runs than the other moves on.Looking for the bracket? Use our free to print Home Run Derby Bracket.
The defending champion would typically be the top seed, but Bryce Harper, the defending champ, is not competing this year.
Seeding is determined by home run totals entering Wednesday’s play. Christian Yelich leads the league in home runs, so he is the No. 1 seed.
Hitters can also take a timeout in the first round and semifinals of 45 seconds. In the finals, each batter gets two timeouts, one for 45 seconds and another 30 seconds.
Thirty seconds of bonus time is award of a batter hits two home runs that equal or exceed 440 feet.
In the case of a tie, in any round, there will be a 60-second swing-off with no stoppage or additional time added. The batter with the most home runs in the swing-off will advance.
There are no runaway favorites in this contest. Christian Yelich is deservedly the favorite in this contest at +300, as he continues to mash coming after a league MVP season last year for Milwaukee.
It would be tough to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting past him in the first round. Vlad’s price is a bit confusing at +450 for me, especially with him facing Yelich in the first round.
Pete Alonso of the Mets gets the No. 2 seed with 28 homers so far and will face Carlos Santana in the first round. Alonso is behind Yelich at +400 to win the competition. Santana has the longest odds at +900 to win it all.
Joc Peterson, Ronald Acuna, and Josh Bell make up a few guys that are around 7/1 to win it all, with Bell at +750. Peterson has produced in a big way for L.A. this year, and Acuna continues to reach his prospect billing.
Josh Bell is in his third full season in the Bigs, and despite hitting 12 home runs last year, he’s already at 26 at the halfway mark in 2019.
Our Picks To Win The 2019 Home Run Derby
Josh Bell +750
Bell isn’t getting nearly the ink he deserves and if the Pirates would somehow make the postseason – he could easily win NL MVP. He tweaked his swing in the offseason and whether it’s launch angle and/or an entirely new approach at the plate – something is working for Bell.
Few players in baseball are hitting the ball as hard as Bell, and he could easily win this thing. The Pirates’ first baseman is in the midst of a breakout season.
Christian Yelich +300
Taking the chalk in a contest like this is always tough, but it’s so hard to see Yelich losing out early in this one. His first-round matchup against Vlad Jr. should be a cakewalk for him, and his numbers speak for themselves.
He leads baseball in many advanced statistical categories, such as hard-hit balls I don’t blame you if you eat the chalk with Yelich.
Carlos Santana +900
Santana had a brief stint with the Phillies in 2018 but has made his way back to the Indians this season. He’s having a fantastic year with the Indians in 2019 and was named to the All-Star game as a starter.
He’s never been a prolific power hitter, but he knows the park better than anyone. He will hit left-handed and has hit a lot of homers into Progressive’s right-field seats over his career.
2019 MLB Home Run Derby Bracket
Use our free printable MLB Home Run Derby bracket and pick your winners to advance and win the $1 million prize money!
MyBookie is our top-rated mlb betting site. You can find some high betting limits on baseball games and events, including this years Home Run Derby. Bet on what player will hit the most homeruns before they show off at the All-Star game.
Joseph Falchetti - Editor-in-Chief / Sports Writer & Analyst
Joe is the author of the blog, most picks, and the majority of excellent sports and casino content on SafestBettingSites. He's been mentioned on Forbes.com as a gaming analyst, and his articles have been linked by larger publications, such as the New York Times.
