Sports Betting Week: HR Derby, British Open

Major League Baseball takes a few days off this week for the All-Star Break. However, bettors aren’t shut out from baseball wagering.

The All-Star festivities begin Monday night with the Home Run Derby. A field of eight will swing for the fences with two former champions, 2015 winner Todd Frazier and 2011 winner Robinson Cano, looking to repeat.

Frazier may be back to defend his title, but the Derby favorite at online sportsbook Bovada is Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton at +300. After a disappointing first half Stanton has 20 home runs this season, but there’s no doubting his colossal power at the plate.

Following him on the odds are Mark Trumbo at +375 and Frazier at +500. Trumbo currently leads the major leagues in home runs with 28 and he previously participated in the Derby in 2012. Frazier has blasted 25 home runs so far in his first season with the Chicago White Sox.

The other players on the odds list at Bovada include Wil Myers (+650), Adam Duvall (+650) Carlos Gonzalez (+800), Cano (+900) and Corey Seager (+900).

The All-Star Game itself is Tuesday night at Petco Park in San Diego. The American League has won the last three All-Star games, but right now at Bovada the National League is a small favorite at -115. Mike Trout won MVP honours the last two years and he’ll have the chance to make it three in a row as one of the starting outfielders for the AL.

On the links this week the top golfers compete across the Atlantic in the 145th Open Championship. The venue this year is Royal Troon in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Last year at St Andrews Zach Johnson was the British Open champion, and at Bovada he is a +5000 underdog to pull off the repeat.

The favorites on the Open Championship odds list are U.S Open Champion Dustin Johnson and Jason Day, both at +800. Johnson and Day have come extremely close to winning the Open in the past, with Johnson finishing second in 2011 and Day finishing fourth last year.

The British Open was last played at Royal Troon back in 2004. That year a relatively unknown Todd Hamilton shocked the field to win his first major title. Hamilton is a +100,000 longshot to win again. Justin Leonard won at Royal Troon in 1997, but he’s also a big underdog at +50,000.