Not many fans were bullish on the Orioles after a 24-2 loss to the Reds on Sunday. There was one sports bettor, however, who put their audacious belief in the franchise to the test Tuesday.
They’re likely regretting that decision.
A Virginian placed a $50,000 pregame wager through Caesars Sportsbook on the Orioles to beat the Nationals in the first game of a three-game series. When Baltimore lost, 7-0, the bettor was out the full $50,000. If the Orioles had won, the bettor would have profited about $37,000.
The significant wager came just two days after the Orioles’ biggest loss since 2007. Baltimore struggled at the plate and on the mound against Cincinnati, and the ballclub didn’t look much better Tuesday.
The Orioles’ pitching has been an obvious culprit during the team’s slow start to the season (9-13), and starting pitcher Dean Kremer did little to ease those concerns Tuesday. He allowed six runs (five earned) over 5 1/3 innings. His season ERA sits at a disappointing 6.84.
Baltimore’s lineup wasn’t great either, failing to scratch across a run. The Orioles mustered just one hit, which came off the bat of Cedric Mullins, who also drew a walk in the matchup. Washington had no such woes, with the Nationals recording 14 hits and needing just three pitchers to complete a shutout.
Even with Baltimore’s struggles, Caesars Sportsbook’s bettors had a surprising amount of faith in the Orioles ahead of Tuesday’s game.
“Despite the Sunday blowout, about 60% of the pre-match bets are on the O’s with over 80% of the money,” Eric Biggio, lead baseball trader at Caesars Sportsbook, told The Baltimore Sun in an emailed statement. “The betting public hasn’t given up on the O’s just yet, and the Nationals are definitely not one of the bettors’ favorite teams.”
Perhaps the Nationals’ record is a better explanation for why bettors backed the Orioles than Baltimore’s results this spring. While Baltimore has hardly looked like a playoff team, the Nationals (10-13) haven’t looked much better. Washington did, however, play well enough Tuesday to put the Orioles in jeopardy of losing another series.
The two teams play Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Fortunately for the Orioles, right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1, 3.43 ERA) is expected to start. He’s been one of the team’s few bright spots this month. Washington will start right-hander Trevor Williams (1-2, 5.95 ERA).
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.