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In 2021, Mike Trout is the heavy favorite to take home American League MVP honors for the fourth time in his career. But one of his teammates is actually getting more attention from bettors on DraftKings Sportsbook. Let’s talk about the top candidates and possible dark horses for AL MVP.
I had not seen these splits until a few minutes ago, and I am both shocked and pleased to see Shohei Ohtani (+2000) getting so much love. He has commanded 23% with handle and 20% of the bets. That latter number is more than double any other American Leaguer. If he stays healthy, it makes sense. Ohtani could be someone who hits 30 homers and wins 10 games with an earned run average around 3.50. He’s a total unicorn. It would help his cause greatly if the Angels can jump the A’s and Astros to win the American League West.
New York Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton (+4000) stands out as a great dark horse choice. He’s another guy who has dealt with a lot of injuries, but he is just a few years removed from winning National League MVP. He has received 3% of the handle and 4% of the bets. Jose Ramirez (+1200) has gotten even less attention from bettors, but he is still only 28 years old and could put up another 35-35 campaign for a Cleveland Indians team that, although weaker than previous editions, may still have enough talent to win the AL Central.
AL MVP Betting Splits
| Handle Rank | Team | Odds | % of Handle | % of Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handle Rank | Team | Odds | % of Handle | % of Bets |
| 1 | Shohei Ohtani | +2000 | 23% | 20% |
| 2 | Mike Trout | +225 | 23% | 8% |
| 3 | DJ LeMahieu | +3300 | 13% | 7% |
| 4 | Luis Robert | +2500 | 6% | 8% |
| 5 | Tim Anderson | +2500 | 4% | 7% |
| 6 | Aaron Judge | +1200 | 4% | 6% |
| 7 | Yoan Moncada | +2500 | 4% | 6% |
| 8 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr | +2500 | 3% | 6% |
| 9 | Giancarlo Stanton | +4000 | 3% | 4% |
| 10 | George Springer | +3300 | 3% | 1% |
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