In less than a month, we will be celebrating the early-season accomplishments of MLB players at the 2026 All-Star Game. The Mid-Summer Classic reflects an important inflection point of the season. It’s an acknowledgement of the best players in the game, while allowing bettors to recalibrate their futures portfolio and assess potential entry points.
We’re getting a head start on the betting aspect, evaluating the current state of the Divisions market and see which teams need to tighten their belts before it gets too late.
American League
AL East
Since the futures markets opened, the New York Yankees have been positioned as chalk in the AL East. They reclaimed their pedestal last week, and have a much stronger betting position as we approach the halfway point of the season.
A couple of weeks ago, the Yankees were priced at -165 to reign atop the division. However, that diminished price precipitated a flood of betting action. To date, New York has attracted 37.4% of the betting handle on just 22.2% of the tickets. Appropriately, the odds have shifted to -280, the Yankee’s highest position this season.
Clearly, bettors are apprehensive about the Tampa Bay Rays’ (+250) chances of staying in lockstep with the Yankees throughout the season. Don’t be surprised if the Toronto Blue Jays (+2000) mimic last year’s blueprint and go on a mid-season run to close the gap either.
AL Central
The Cleveland Guardians continue to hold regular season dominion over the rest of the AL Central. Winners of three of the past four division titles, the Guardians are holding steady as the betting chalk.
The gap between Cleveland isn’t as pronounced as the betting market suggests. The Chicago White Sox hold the division lead on the strength of winning percentage, but bettors remain apprehensive about their chances. The Guardians outpace the White Sox in market share by a substantive margin. They are commanding 42.7% of the handle, almost four times Chicago’s mark of 11.4%. That looks even more daunting when we factor in ticket count. The White Sox are sitting at 19.6% compared to Cleveland’s mark of 20.1%.
The ticket difference is marginal, but it reflects a wide gap between sharp and public affection. All signs point toward another Guardians’ AL Central pennant.
AL West
You wouldn’t know it from the oddsboard, but the AL West is still very much in play for the top four teams. Just 4.0 games separate the division-leading Seattle Mariners from the fourth-place Houston Astros, but the betting market has taken a firm stance on the M’s as division winners.
So far, Seattle has accounted for a mind-numbing 91.7% of the handle in the AL West. Considering their more modest 38.2% ticket share, we can infer that BetMGM has taken some significant wagers on the Mariners claiming back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history.
The Texas Rangers have the second-shortest odds at +275, with the Athletics (+800), and Astros (+1700) rounding out the division. We’re not sold on the Mariners as division winners, and there’s plenty of value to be had in the AL West.
National League
NL East
Leave it to Alex Anthopoulos to quickly rectify the Atlanta Braves’ situation. After an abysmal performance last season, Hotlanta is back in the driver’s seat in the NL East. The Braves have staked themselves to an early-season lead, and they aren’t looking in their rearview mirror.
The betting price on the Braves has shrunk marginally, but their market share remains stronger than any other team. The NL East leaders are commanding a whopping 63.8% of the handle on just 26.1% of the tickets. Comparatively, the New York Mets sit second in handle at 25.5%, with the Philadelphia Phillies leading in ticket count (30.7%), albeit while accounting for just 12.4% of the handle.
Philadelphia is 8.0 games back of the Braves for the division lead. If they do manage to close the gap, that would amount to a massive win for BetMGM. We’re not betting on that happening.
NL Central
Like a perfectly tuned pendulum, the Milwaukee Brewers never lose any momentum season to season. The Brew Crew are once again the betting favorite in the NL Central, and they continue to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
Halfway through June, Milwaukee sits with a comfortable 5.0-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Chicago Cubs were expected to be their biggest competitors; however, they have yet to find their footing this season. Milwaukee’s dominance is also captured in the betting splits, leading in handle with a 43.7% share which is more than double their 19.3% ticket count.
The young Cardinals squad is unlikely to pressure the Brewers late in the season. Unless the Cubs pull off a miracle mid-season run, Milwaukee can be expected to capture its fourth straight NL Central title.
NL West
Even with a decimated starting rotation, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain the premier team in baseball. Currently installed as a -10000 favorite, LA should face little resistance en route to its fifth straight NL West crown.
Over their last eight games, the Dodgers have alternated wins and losses. Still, that tepid streak has done nothing to diminish their division-winning aspirations. They have a commanding 7.0-game lead over the San Diego Padres, with no other team holding a legitimate shot of chasing down the frontrunners before the end of the campaign.
There is little to no money being wagered on the Dodgers. They sit last in ticket count and second-last in handle, with bettors pursuing other teams in hopes of a massive upset. With the price only increasing before the end of the season, BetMGM can chalk this division up as another massive win.
New to sports betting? First, explore our Introduction to Sports Betting. Then check out our recommendations at Flip The Switch for online sportsbooks, along with offers to get started. And if you’re not an avid sports fan, you can still find some fun and unusual bets to enjoy!
