The Atlanta Braves betting preview is looking much more optimistic than it has in recent years. With the best Farm system in the MLB and the acquisition of some of the MLB’s best pitchers, Atlanta is well on their way to rebuilding their team. It will take some time, however, as the Braves still have a ways to go before becoming competitive with the top teams in the nation, namely the Cubs, Red Sox, and their own divisional rivals, the Nationals. Below we have a comprehensive betting preview for the Atlanta Braves upcoming season, along with some key information you may need for betting on MLB at online sports betting sites.
Currently, the Atlanta Braves 2017 World Series betting odds are nearer to the bottom of the pack. Their lines have hovered at the +7500 for most of the offseason, and barring a miracle, probably won’t improve by much. With a tough schedule and three competitive teams in their division, it would be a long shot indeed for the Braves to even make it into wild card contention, let alone make a playoff appearance. Unfortunately for Atlanta, it looks like it’ll be another long shot year.
Atlanta’s’ Odds To Win The Division
Although Atlanta’s odds to win the division haven’t been released yet, it’s almost a sure bet that they’ll be underdogs to win. With the Nationals at the top of the book and the Mets not far behind them, the Braves best hope would be for third place. Unfortunately, they would have to beat out a Miami team that is just ahead of them developmentally. The good news for those looking to bet on the Braves, though, is that they more than likely won’t be taking last place in the division this year. While the Phillies aren’t any worse than they have been in previous season, the Braves’ farm system and offseason acquisitions give them more talent than Philadelphia. Fans of the Braves should expect a fourth place finish, so don’t be too disappointed when Atlanta’s odds to win the division are released.
Key Additions for 2017
The Atlanta Braves have a strong hitting rotation, with quite a few of their starters batting over .270. But as consistent as they are at the plate, they only had one player who hit over 15 home runs in 2016. The Braves were second to last in the League in runs last season, so if they really want to improve, they’ll need to recruit some power hitters. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta is in desperate need of a closer. They’ve got a great rotation, but their best man had only 20 saves last year. They’ll need to pick up a strong closer before spring training, as well, if they want a serious shot at improvement. They’ve got a good crop of strong arms in their farm system, but most need another year of development before they’re ready to be called up, so the Braves will be looking to sign some short-term starters as well.
Sean Rodriguez – Rodriguez is a step in the right direction when it comes to picking up some power hitting. While his .270 batting average was well, average, his .510 slugging percentage and 18 home runs will definitely help the Braves at bat.
Jaime Garcia – Garcia had an off year in 2016 but was a huge asset to the Cardinals in 2015. If he can get back to where he was a couple years ago, Garcia can do really well with the Braves. If he can’t, he’s only signed to a 1-year contract anyways and will serve as a nice stopgap until prospects like Sean Newcomb are ready for the Majors.
Bartolo Colon – Colon signed a 1 year deal with the Braves in November, just a few days after Atlanta had picked up Dickey. Colon, who was taken from Division rival New York, averages 195 innings a season and has a career 3.93 ERA. His 6.1 K/9 and 1.3 BB/9 ratios and veteran status help round out the pitching rotation in Atlanta.
RA Dickey – Dickey’s performance took a dip in 2016, but the veteran pitcher is a good pickup for Atlanta. He’ll add some stability while the team still develops its prospects, and is only committed to a 1-year contract with the Braves for 2017. Career stats for Dickey include a 4.01 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
Key Departures for 2017
While the Braves have traded away some of their players or declined to renew their contracts, none of them have really been key departures for 2017. In trade, they have let go of Brady Feigl and Tyrell Jenkins. They’ve also traded John Gant and Rob Whalen, in order to pick up Jaime Garcia and a player to be named. None of these are exactly groundbreaking moves and have actually done some good, getting the Braves a couple of veteran starters in the bullpen and shoring up their farm system a bit more. All in all, there really haven’t been any 2017 key departures for Braves fans to worry about.
Who Are Atlanta’s Top Prospects?
Atlanta’s Farm system is the best in the country and was even named the Minor League team of the year last season. The braves have six tier one prospects to round out their top ten, headlined by Dansby Swanson, perhaps one of the best up and coming players in the league right now. So despite their dismal performance in previous years, the Braves are poised to begin a comeback. That being said, don’t expect it to happen all at once – this is going to take a few years. The point is, they’re finally taking their first steps in the right direction, and their farm system is a big factor in this.
Dansby Swanson - Swanson has the power, the talent, and the aptitude to become an all-star. Swanson finished his first appearance in the big leagues with a .300/.348/.413 over 80 at-bats. He’ll be leaving his prospect status behind pretty early in 2017 and you should definitely be on the lookout for Rookie of the Year betting odds next to his name.
Ozzie Albies – Albies is coming off of an injury from last season, but that’s not going to stop him from getting a call in 2017. Albies isn’t a power hitter, but his ability to get on base (.377 through 2016) and then steal bases (40 just last season) is impressive. Albies is young, so if he gets a call, it will be late in 2017. But even if he doesn’t he’s an immense talent to have in the system.
Sean Newcomb – The 6’ 5’’ lefty has everything he needs to be a successful starting pitcher in the MLB – now he just needs to gain some confidence. Newcomb’s main problem last season was that he got psyched out when he had runners on base. If he can learn to control his jitters and lowers his 4.6 BB/9 ratio, he’ll be ready to go. His fastball averages around 93 MPH and his changeup improved the more he played. If Newcomb can gain that last bit of control he needs, he’ll be getting called up to the Majors in 2017.
Mike Soroka – Soroka has only made it through to Single-A ball, but if he continues the momentum he built in 2016, he’ll be in the big leagues in no time. He finished last season with a 2.79 FIP and an impressive 7.87 K/9 ratio. Soroka is young but provides much-needed talent to a team that’s rebuilding.
Now that you’ve taken a look at the Atlanta Braves’ betting preview, you may be wondering how to bet on the Braves at an online sports betting site. We’ve outlined how to make deposits, read baseball odds, and follow trends in the sections below. Once you’ve finished reading up on that, you’ll need to pick a sports betting site that fits your needs. The most important things to look for are a good reputation, speedy payouts, and a good variety of wager types available. You don’t want to be stuck at a book that only allows you to make straight bets, and you don’t want to have to wait a month for your withdrawal to come through. You’ll also want a book that has a few different deposit methods available so that you can really find the best one for you. After that, it’s off to the ballgame!
How Do I Make A Deposit At An Online Sportsbook?
Making a deposit at an online sportsbook is easy; all you need to do is find the method that works for you. Books will generally offer three or more different funding methods. Credit cards are most common but sometimes run into problems for US residents because of the UIGEA, which is a very stringent banking regulation. Digital Currencies are becoming popular because they deposit funds very quickly. They can get a little tricky, though, if you don’t know how to keep track of the conversion rate. Paper checks in the mail and money orders are also very reliable ways of funding your account, but they do take some time to reach the sportsbook, so aren’t the best option if you’re looking for speed.
What Is The Best Deposit Method For Baseball Bettors?
The Best deposit method for baseball bettors is prepaid cards. This method is quick and easy to use, allowing you to get back to betting on baseball within moments. The most common prepaid cards accepted are Visa and American Express. They’re easily purchased from any local retailer, like a grocery store or convenience store. Buying a reloadable prepaid card is probably best if you intend on crediting your account more than once. Prepaid cards are processed the same way as credit cards, but don’t run into the same problems as credit cards because they don’t have to go through a bank or financial institution. Once you’ve purchased the card and put the information onto a book, it takes only a few minutes for the funds to show up in your account. Once there, you’re all set to get back to betting on that day’s matchups!
Learning how to read baseball odds is pretty simple, once you know exactly what you’re looking at. Baseball odds are almost always presented as American odds, so you’ll usually see a (+) or (-) next to a three digit number, like in the example below:
So in the example, the Braves odds’ are set at +130. The (+) denotes that they are the underdog in the matchup. The number (130) denotes how much you stand to win if you bet on the Braves. These numbers are always based on a $100 wager. So, if you risk $100 on the Braves and they win, you will net a profit of $130. It’s the opposite for the Mets. They have a (-) next to their name, which puts them as the favorites in this matchup. When a team is favored, the number next to their name shows how much you have to wager in order win $100. So in this case, you’d have to lay down $160, just to net a $100 profit.
Baseball has a multitude of different kinds of wager types you can make. From a moneyline bet, which is wagering on who the outright winner will be, to betting on totals, which is a wager on whether or not the run total will be over or under the projected number, there are tons of different ways you can bet on baseball. One of the most popular wager types when betting on baseball is the first five innings wager. This bet focuses on choosing the winner after the first “half” of baseball, the first five innings. It’s better than just an overall moneyline wager, though, because you only have to rely on the starting pitcher. This is a great bet to place if your team has a great starter but doesn’t really have anyone who can relieve them or if the team isn’t playing their best closer that night. The payout is better than a moneyline bet as well and requires much less research.
One of the great things about betting on baseball at an online sports betting site as opposed to betting at a land-based book is that you can bet on the game while it’s going on. This type of baseball wagering is called live in-game betting. This gives you the opportunity to wager on the pitch count in a half inning, or what the run total will be after a set of innings. It’s a really great way to wager on all of your favorite parts of the game, rather than just picking who you think will win at the end of it.
Understanding baseball betting trends and statistics is one of the most important things to learn when betting on baseball. Because it is a thinking man’s game, there are quite a few different factors that go into placing a successful baseball wager. Following how a team has been doing ATS and how an individual player’s stats stack up against league leaders is a great way to figure out what kind of wager needs to be placed. This is why we’ve put together a baseball betting trends and statistics page – there, you’ll find everything you could possibly need to know about any given team and how they’ve been performing on the year. That way, when you go to place your wager, you’ll be as prepared as possible with the MLB preview.
The #1 baseball betting site for US Residents
One of the absolutely best online sports betting sites for US residents is 5Dimes sportsbook. This site has a very simple interface and may look a bit outdated, but don’t let that fool you. This site has all of the latest features and wager types you could possibly need for betting on baseball. Not only do they have live betting, but they have three different ways you can do it. They’ve also got the earliest lines possible for every single baseball game played. 5Dimes is geared towards experienced bettors, with better odds and way bigger payouts. If you’re new to betting, though, don’t worry. 5Dimes has a comprehensive help section that will make you an expert in no time.
Aside from all the different wager types and early lines, though, 5Dimes is known for its baseball betting bonuses. These bonuses include a couple of deposit bonuses, of course, but the best ones are the reduced juice and overnight MLB lines. At this sports betting site, your vig is reduced on nearly every wager you place, and sometimes is taken away altogether! All you have to do is go to the promotions section of 5Dimes, and it will give you a list of all of the eligible overnight MLB lines, as well as the reduced rates offered for the rest of the games that day. 5Dimes truly makes betting on baseball an incredible and profitable experience for its players.