Major League Baseball

2024 MLB odds: Shohei Ohtani prop bets to make right now

Published Dec. 13, 2023 2:21 p.m. ET

Everybody wants a piece of Shohei Ohtani.

The newly minted Los Angeles Dodgers superstar became an even bigger baseball legend when he made the 50-mile move from Anaheim to Chavez Ravine and signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract.

If money talks, this move broke sound barriers.

That said, the Dodgers were always the betting favorite to pry away Ohtani and while you might think a signing like this would swing L.A. to a prohibitive World Series favorite, well, think again. The destination wasn’t a surprise.

"We didn’t adjust the Dodgers at all after he signed," Westgate SuperBook senior baseball trader Randy Blum told FOX Sports from Las Vegas.

"We were exactly where we wanted to be on them, and we thought there was about an 80 percent chance he would end up in Dodger blue. The first thing we actually did was raise the [Toronto] Blue Jays’ price back up a bit. We lowered them last Friday with all the crazy rumors circulating."

2024 WORLD SERIES ODDS (via SuperBook): *

Los Angeles Dodgers: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Atlanta Braves: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
New York Yankees: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Houston Astros: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Texas Rangers: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Toronto Blue Jays: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Seattle Mariners: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Baltimore Orioles: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Philadelphia Phillies: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
New York Mets: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Tampa Bay Rays: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Minnesota Twins: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
St. Louis Cardinals: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Chicago Cubs: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Arizona Diamondbacks: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
San Diego Padres: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)

* odds as of 12/13/2023

Ben Verlander's message to Los Angeles Dodger fans, Shohei Ohtani (大谷翔平)

The Dodgers are already as low as +240 to win the National League pennant, and I’m guessing their win total opens around [O/U] 99.5. It closed at 95.5 last year and they won 100. They were also favored in 142 of 165 games.

I’m not too interested in betting L.A. to win a pennant or championship at such low prices, but there are some individual Ohtani bets to ponder. And more options will arise as we get closer to Spring Training and Opening Day.

The SuperBook has him at 14/1 to lead the Majors in home runs, while Caesars posted his homer prop at [O/U] 39.5 and RBI prop at 99.5. You can also find him as high as 10/1 to win the NL MVP at FanDuel.

Call me crazy, but I can’t wait to see if Ohtani can dominate as a full-time hitter. Remember, he won’t throw a single pitch in 2024 after undergoing right elbow surgery. Most of his focus will revolve around offense.

The two-time AL MVP smashed a career-high 46 homers in ’21 and hit 44 last year, with a 36-homer season sandwiched in the middle. And that’s with him taking the mound every fifth day to the tune of 74 starts.

I’m digging Over 39.5 homers and thinking about making a smaller bet on Ohtani to hit the most in baseball. Understand that’s more of a roulette spin, but he’s got the ability and power to deposit a bunch of baseballs into the bleachers.

Right?

"He certainly can, but I don’t consider him the favorite by any means," Blum said. "Dodger Stadium is a tough stadium for power numbers, and it’s not necessarily considered a hitters' park. [Aaron] Judge and [Pete] Alonso have easier paths to the home run crown."

Maybe I got ahead of myself a little bit.

Put me down for Over 39.5 homers right now and let’s continue to handicap these Ohtani props as more hit the market. Odds are strong the sportsbooks will get extra creative this year with baseball’s $700 million dollar man.

Can’t wait.

Sam Panayotovich is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and NESN. He previously worked for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. He'll probably pick against your favorite team. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.