DraftKings Sportsbook launched the new “King of the Diamond” promotion on Friday! What is the “King of the Diamond”? For an in-depth breakdown of this promotion, you can read our How to Play King of the Diamond article on DraftKings Network. Below is a quick summary:
- Opt into the promotion on DraftKings Sportsbook
- Choose between 2-5 players to place in any type of parlay (Same Game Parlay, SGPx) with a “To Hit a Home Run” bet. (Examples: Aaron Judge 1+ Home Run, Shohei Ohtani 2+ home runs, etc.)
- King of the Diamond is awarded to all MLB players who hit 1 or more home runs as part of the highest-scoring MLB team (from eligible games) of the day.
On Friday, the Seattle Mariners were the highest scoring team on the slate with 13 runs. Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh hit home runs and were crowned the King of the Diamond. All the users who picked either of them were awarded a $249 bonus bet to use on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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DraftKings King of the Diamond Strategy
Essentially, two conditions must be met to be eligible to win part of the King of the Diamond jackpot: one or more players must hit a home run and play for the team with the highest score that night. One way to determine which players to pick is to identify the teams with the highest projected totals for that night. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the following teams have team totals of at least 4.5 runs as of 8 a.m. Monday.
Highest MLB team totals for Monday, May 5th
- Los Angeles Dodgers 5.5 team total -105
- New York Mets 4.5 team total -125
- Kansas City Royals 4.5 team total -120
- Seattle Mariners 4.5 team total -115
- Arizona Diamondbacks 4.5 team total -110
- Cleveland Guardians 4.5 team total -105
- Atlanta Braves 4.5 team total -105
MLB Starting Pitchers: Most home runs allowed
Among the starting pitchers scheduled for today, here is a list of those who have allowed the most home runs thus far. In parentheses, I have broken down the splits of how many they have allowed to right-handed and left-handed batters:
- Jake Irvin (WAS) vs. Cleveland Guardians: 8 home runs allowed (2 vs. RHB, 6 vs. LHB)
- Carlos Rodon (NYY) vs. San Diego Padres: 6 home runs allowed (3 vs. RHB, 3 vs. LHB)
- Ronel Blanco (HOU) vs. Milwaukee Brewers: 6 home runs allowed (1 vs. RHB, 4 vs. LHB)
- Six pitchers tied with 4 home runs allowed
DraftKings King of the Diamond Home Run Picks for Monday, May 5
Shohei Ohtani to hit a home run +270 vs. Miami Marlins
I know, it’s a boring pick. You didn’t need to come here for me to tell you Ohtani could hit a home run tonight. But, to be fair, there are many positive factors to consider. The Dodgers currently have the highest team total on the slate against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins. Alcantara, once a Cy Young candidate in 2022, has been getting walloped this season. He currently has a 1.38 HR/9 (home runs per nine innings), which is the highest of his career. Lefties have hit three of the four home runs he’s allowed. So, while Ohtani is an obvious choice, he and the Dodgers could easily be the KOTD tonight.
Kyle Manzardo to hit a home run +300 vs. Washington Nationals
Weather is a concern for this game, so please check before placing this bet tonight.
If it looks like the game will be played, I like Manzardo a lot to hit a home run. He’ll be facing Jake Irvin, who, as noted above, has allowed the most home runs on this slate. Of the eight home runs he’s allowed, six have come from lefties, which Manzardo is. Irvin throws four-seam fastballs 37% of the time, and that pitch has accounted for four of the eight home runs that Manzardo has hit. If the game is played, the humid weather will be another plus for hitters. Targeting hitters against Irvin is certainly a strategy to consider, particularly with lefties like Manzardo.
Matt Olson to hit a home run +450 vs. Cincinnati Reds
The Braves could be a sneaky team to score some runs tonight. Brady Singer, pitching for the Reds, has been great thus far. However, he’s faced a relatively easy schedule to this point, including the Rangers, Brewers, Pirates, Mariners, Marlins, and Cardinals. Tonight, he’ll face a Braves team that hits sinkerballs very well. Olson, in particular, is one of the best, posting a .415 wOBA and a .292 ISO against sinkerballs since last season. Singer has allowed a home run in four straight starts, with three of them coming from lefties. Even with a 4.5 team total, I think the Braves could be overlooked tonight.
Jake Bauers to hit a home run +500 vs. Houston Astros
The Brewers aren’t listed above as a team with one of the highest team totals. However, they have a favorable matchup against Ronel Blanco. Blanco struggled immensely in April, allowing five home runs, four of which were hit by left-handed batters. Jake Bauers is a boom-or-bust option who doesn’t hit for a high average but has some power. Blanco is not striking out left-handed batters and is instead relying on contact for outs. Left-handed batters currently have a 51% fly ball rate and a .388 wOBA against him. If the Brewers can jump on Blanco early, they could be a dark horse team to put up some runs.
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Good luck with your King of the Diamond picks for tonight! Whenever this promotion is happening, I’ll be doing these strategy articles exclusively on DraftKings Network.
For a more in-depth breakdown of how the King of the Diamond promo works, check out our How to Play King of the Diamond article on DraftKings Network.
