BetMGM Sees 209% Increase in Home Run Bets With Enhanced Features

A new contest and integrated data in the BetMGM Sportsbook has increased betting on home runs in Major League Baseball this season by 209%, says the sports betting operator.

Grand Slam Jackpot contest launched for the 2024 MLB season, and it’s credited in part with the significant increase in wagers being placed on the home run market. Additionally, BetMGM added data from Angstrom Sports, which describes itself as “specialists in US Sports Forecasting & Analytics.”

Analytic tools are popular in baseball, which has a long history of statistics going back to the 19th century. Teams employ mathematicians and computer programmers who calculate numbers and come up with formulas to determine the optimal way to hit the baseball out of the park, score runs, and win games.

BetMGM Has Enhanced Home Run Markets

BetMGM has enhanced its HR markets by adding new parlay features for the 2024 baseball season. Customers can now take advantage of an improved same-game parlay (SGP) and the BetMGM “SGP+” product, which offers “at-bat live betting experiences.” BetMGM has made it easier to find and build a SGP, a wager that frequently includes a “To Hit a Home Run” bet.

The Grand Slam Jackpot takes place every Friday through Sunday in the BetMGM Sportsbook app or betting website. Any customer who places a $10+ prop wager on a player to hit a home run in a select game is automatically entered for a chance to win the jackpot. If the chosen MLB player hits a grand slam in that game, that customer will win a share of a $50,000 bonus bet prize pool. So far in the 2024 MLB season, 23 grand slams have been hit, and more than $500,000 in bonus bets have been given. Eligibility rules apply, so check in the BetMGM app in the state where you live.

Home Runs Have Increased in the MLB Over the Last Decade

Home runs are up in MLB over the last decade, for several reasons. The excitement of the home run has thrilled fans who love the sport and has also been of intrigue to those who like to bet on the national pastime.

In 2015, the average MLB game produced 2.0 HR. In 2023, that number had risen to 2.4, an increase of 20%. In 2024, the average game features 2.04 homers, but that figure should rise when the weather warms this summer. Going back even further: in 1990, only 1.57 HR were averaged per game in MLB, or 35% less than we saw in the 2023 season.

The MLB leader in home runs through games played May 13 is Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros, with 13. That projects to about 52 HR for the full season. Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has 10 home runs and is threatening to become the second player to win the Most Valuable Player Award in both leagues.

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