Major League Baseball returned over the weekend.
The two PA teams, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates, went into the shortened season with different expectations from oddsmakers at Pennsylvania online sportsbooks. Most books placed the Phillies’ World Series odds at +2500 or +2000. The Pirates’ preseason odds for a World Series were +10,000.
Most PA sportsbooks have the Phillies at +1100 to win the National League and the Pirates at +10,000.
Phillies win totals: Over/under 31.5
Pirates win totals: Over/under 25.5
Bettors will have to wait to see if their futures bets cash. However, they got an early glimpse of how the Phillies and Pirates treated bettors over MLB opening weekend.
Philadelphia Phillies opening weekend
(Lines via FanDuel Sportsbook)
July 24, 2020, betting lines, Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Moneyline: MIA (+168) vs. PHI (-196)
Total: 8.5 Over: (-104)/Under: (-118)
Spread: MIA: +1.5 (-122)/PHI: -1.5 (+104)
Public (spread) betting percentages (via Oddsfire): MIA: (1%) | PHI: (99%)
Probable pitcher: MIA: Sandy Alcantara (6-14, 3.88 ERA) | PHI: Aaron Nola (12-7, 3.87 ERA)
Result: Marlins 5, Phillies 2
Winning bets: MIA +168, UNDER
Quick recap: Aguilar and Alcantara lead Marlins over Phils in opener.
July 25, 2020, betting lines, Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Moneyline: MIA (+146) vs. PHI (-168)
Total: 9 Over: (-106)/Under: (-114)
Spread: MIA: +1.5 (-134)/PHI: -1.5 (+114)
Public (spread) betting percentages (via Oddsfire): MIA: (4%) | PHI: (96%)
Probable pitcher: MIA: Caleb Smith (10-11, 4.52 ERA) | PHI: Zack Wheeler (11-8, 3.96 ERA)
Result: Phillies 7, Marlins 1
Winning bets: PHI (-168), UNDER
Quick recap: Gosselin homers twice, Wheeler’s first Phils win.
July 26, 2020, betting lines, Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Moneyline: MIA: (+132) vs. PHI: (-152)
Total: 9.5 – Over: (-120)/Under: (-102)
Spread: MIA: +1.5 (-142)/PHI: -1.5 (+120)
Public (spread) betting percentages (via Oddsfire): MIA: (2%) | PHI: (98%)
Probable pitcher: MIA: Jose Urena (4-10, 5.21 ERA) | PHI: Vince Velasquez (7-8, 4.91 ERA)
Result: Marlins 11, Phillies 6
Winning bets: MIA (+132), Over
Quick recap: Urena scratches; two other Marlins scratch over COVID concerns. Fish still win. Despite their struggles, the Marlins went 10-9 against the Phils in 2019, and they continue to riddle the Phillies.
Tweets of the weekend from the Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates opening weekend
(Odds via FanDuel)
July 24, 2020, betting lines, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Moneyline: PIT (+170) vs. STL (-198)
Total: 8 Over (-110)/Under (-110)
Spread: PIT: +1.5 (-120)/STL: -1.5 (+102)
Public (spread) betting percentages (via Oddsfire): PIT: 17%/STL: 83%
Probable pitcher: PIT: Joe Musgrove (11-12, 4.44 ERA) | STL: Jack Flaherty (11-8, 2.75 ERA)
Result: Cardinals 5, Pirates 4
Winning bets: (STL -198) and OVER
Quick recap: Flaherty fans six in Opening Day win.
July 25, 2020, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Moneyline: PIT (+144) vs. STL (-166)
Total: 9.5 Over: (-105)/Under: (-115)
Spread: PIT: +1.5 (-154) | STL: -1.5 (+130)
Total: 9.5 Over: (-105)/Under: (-115)
Public (spread) betting percentages (via Oddsfire): PIT: (18%) | STL: (82%)
Probable pitcher: PIT: Trevor Williams (7-9, 5.38 ERA) | STL: Adam Wainwright (14-10, 4.19 ERA)
Result: Cardinals 9, Pirates 1
Winning bets: Cardinals -166 and OVER
Recap: Wainwright and Cards’ pen holds Pirates to three hits and one run.
July 26, 2020, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Moneyline: PIT (+122) vs. STL (-140)
Total: 9 Over: (-104)/Under (-118)
Spread: PIT: +1.5 (-148) | STL: -1.5 (+126)
Total: 9 Over: (-104)/Under (-118)
Public (spread) betting percentages (via Oddsfire): PIT: (14%) | STL: (86%)
Probable pitcher: PIT: Mitch Keller (1-5, 7.13 ERA) | STL: Dakota Hudson (16-7, 3.35 ERA)
Result: Pirates 5, Cardinals 1
Winning bets: Pirates +122, UNDER
Recap: Pirates pitching fans 10 Cards, avoids sweep.
