Monday brings another edition of the DraftKings Sportsbook “King of the Diamond” promotion! Previous winners received bonus bets of $1,414, $249, $60, $1,698 and most recently, $4,951.
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.
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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, these are currently the highest projected team totals as of 10 a.m. Monday morning.
Highest MLB team totals for Monday, May 19th
- Philadelphia Phillies 6.5 runs +105
- Los Angeles Dodgers 4.5 runs -135
- Chicago Cubs 4.5 runs -130
- New York Mets 4.5 runs -125
- Seattle Mariners 4.5 runs -120
MLB Starting Pitchers: Most home runs allowed
Of tonight’s starting pitchers, here is a list of those who have allowed the most home runs this season. In parentheses, the breakdown shows home runs allowed to right-handed and left-handed batters.
- Dean Kremer (BAL) at Milwaukee Brewers: 10 home runs allowed; 1.7 HR/9 (3 vs. RHB, 7 vs. LHB)
- Sonny Gray (STL) vs. Detroit Tigers: 9 home runs allowed; 1.6 HR/9 (6 vs. RHB, 3 vs. LHB)
- Ryan Pepiot (TB) vs. Houston Astros: 9 home runs allowed; 1.6 HR/9 (5 vs. RHB, 4 vs. LHB)
- Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) at Los Angeles Dodgers: 8 home runs allowed; 1.4 HR/9 (2 vs. RHB, 6 vs. LHB)
MLB Weather Concerns for tonight:
-Cleveland Guardians at Minnesota Twins
-Detroit Tigers at St. Louis Cardinals
DraftKings King of the Diamond Home Run Picks for Monday, May 19
Freddie Freeman to hit a home run +360 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
If the Dodgers are on a King of the Diamond slate, they are likely to be a top choice to win. As noted above, they have one of the highest team totals at 4.5 runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Interestingly, Pfaadt recently faced the Dodgers and shut them out through 6.1 innings, allowing only four hits. However, it would be surprising if he repeated that performance. Left-handed batters, in particular, have been his biggest challenge, hitting six of the eight home runs he has allowed. Once Pfaadt exits, the Diamondbacks’ bullpen, which has struggled with a 1.8 HR/9 rate over the past week, becomes vulnerable.
Cal Raleigh to hit a home run +235 vs. Chicago White Sox
You may not even realize it, but Raleigh is tied for the second-most home runs in the league. He, along with Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber, has 15 home runs on the season. Raleigh is a strong option to go deep tonight against the White Sox. Starter Davis Martin throws two variations of a fastball, a four-seamer and a cutter. Of those pitches, Raleigh has seven of the 15 home runs he’s hit. The Mariners are another team that have a high team total for the evening, positioning them in a prime spot to be King of the Diamond.
Kyle Schwarber to hit a home run +240 vs. Colorado Rockies
I’m not enthusiastic about the Phillies tonight, even at Coors Field. Kyle Freeland is starting, and he has excelled at preventing home runs, with a 0.79 HR/9 rate, one of the lowest among pitchers this evening. This is due to his 26% fly ball rate this season, among the lowest of his career. However, it’s challenging to overlook the Phillies, who have the highest team total on the slate. The Rockies’ bullpen, with a 1.7 HR/9 rate over the past week, offers the Phillies their best opportunity for a home run. Kyle Schwarber, despite the left-on-left matchup, has hit seven of his 15 home runs against left-handed pitchers.
Logan O’Hoppe to hit a home run +500 vs. Athletics
The Angels are my dark horse tonight against the Athletics. O’Hoppe has quietly hit 10 home runs, nine of them coming off a right-handed pitcher. J.T. Ginn hasn’t pitched much this season, only 13.2 innings, but he’s already allowed four home runs, giving him a 2.6 HR/9. Behind him, the Athletics’ bullpen has been wrecked over the past week, posting a combined 11.25 ERA with a 3.1 HR/9 over 20 innings. I don’t imagine the Angels hitters being a popular option, making them a potential sneaky King of the Diamond candidate.
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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.
