MLB Key Games And 2024 Baseball Odds August Schedule

Insights and advice for betting MLB in August

Repost from OSGA on July 31

Parity was the name of the game in July, and I provide some insight into MLB teams records and baseball betting in July and into August. The push to the pennant and playoffs is in full swing with just over 50 games remaining in the regular season. I’ve outlined the key MLB games and 2024 baseball odds August schedule below along with teams chasing a playoff spot with tight races and many teams in the Wild Card race. Two divisions are separated by a pair of teams within one game of each other in the AL East and West, while all other divisions races are still fairly tight with the leaders 7.5-games or less ahead, after many top teams played near .500 baseball in July.

Bettors who played value and more underdogs profited in July, and leading online sportsbooks are reporting plenty of action on popular player props. Value and astute bettors continue to take advantage of dime lines offered at select online sportsbooks.

Review my June baseball article for more insight on betting the bases, along with betting baseball in July as key games saw more top teams struggle. You can compare the standings from June to July and now August and then sort through some of the key trades at this week’s MLB trade deadline with some of the top teams with huge payrolls upgraded again. Pitcher Jack Flaherty going from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers. I noted that as I continued to bet on Flaherty and projected a Tigers uptick (14-11) in July despite 3-straight losses to close the month. But now selling and trading a key player and pitcher, I’m not as high on the Tigers in August, but bet Detroit for most wins in July at 250/1 odds. That looked sweet three days ago, and now another tough loss for (us) bettors buying low on the Tigers for most wins in August.

MLB ⚾️
Most August Wins

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— Circa Sports (@CircaSports) July 29, 2024

Total games scheduled for each team in August

29: CLE, CIN, MIA
28: MIN, KC, DET, CHW, BAL, BOS, TOR, HOU, LAA, MIL, STL, PHI, NYM, SD, COL
27: TB, TEX, PIT, WSH, LAD, AZ, SF
26: NYY, SEA, OAK, CHC, ATL

As college and pro football begins in the next 4-5 weeks including theNFL kickoff Sept. 5 between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, bettors can still find ways to profit betting baseball by analyzing stats, market inefficiencies and finding value by following my sports betting colleague Sherwood at Sportswagers along with select handicappers who provide MLB and other sports insights.

For bettors who prefer to only bet on the ‘good’ teams and fade the ‘bad’ teams, see the July records below of the top teams. Then note that on June 27 there were five teams playing > .600 baseball, and now there are two with both the Guardians and Philles 65-47 (.607). The White Sox, Marlins and Rockies continue to play below .400 baseball. The top-12 teams in MLB are barely playing .500 baseball since June 27.  

Runline bettors note that 73% of all MLB games have been decided by 2 or more runs. That includes 23-4 the last two days!

Also, since the start August and continuing past the All-Star break, the lowly Oakland A’s (45-64) have been the biggest profit producer. The Athletics have the best record in the American League (15-8), including 8-3 since the All-Star break, with 10 of those games against AL West division opponents. But wait, the Chicago White Sox are 3-21 in July with 16 straight losses into the final game of the month!

Looking forward to MLB and the A’s move to Las Vegas with the new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip opening for the 2028 season!

Records through July 31.

Standings, Records And Key MLB Series And Odds In August 

Adjusted futures odds are added to compare, and understand in the most wins market that number of games for each teams vary in the month. The tiebreaker for most wins is fewest games played in the month.

American League

AL Central

Cleveland (65-42)
Minnesota (59-48)
Kansas City (60-49)
Detroit (52-57)
Chicago (27-84)

July records: CLE (13-12), MIN (12-11), KC (13-10), DET (14-11), CHI (3-22)

AL East

Baltimore (65-44)
New York (65-45)
Boston (57-50)
Tampa Bay (55-53)
Toronto (50-59)

July records: BAL (12-13), NYY (11-13), BOS (13-11), TB (13-11), TOR (12-14)

AL West

Seattle (57-53)
Houston (56-52)
Texas (52-57)
Los Angeles (47-61)
Oakland (45-65)

July records: SEA (10-14), HOU (14-11), TEX (14-11),LAA (11-14),OAK (16-8)

The Houston Astros are an AL-best 30-19 since June 1 despite three straight losses into the final day of July. The A’s have posted the best record in the American League in July, but will fall just short of the Mets for best record in the month. Oakland was 500/1 for best record in July at Circa Sports.

Division leaders BAL/NY & SEA all play below .500 baseball in July, & CLE (13-12) & WC team MIN (11-11) barely better.

The Yankees play 9-straight games at home vs. losing teams to start August, 15 straight vs. losing teams to start the month and 21 of 26 vs. losing teams in August. The Orioles play 10 staight games on the road to start August (7 vs. winning teams). The Guardians play 23 of 29 games vs. winning teams in August.

Aug. 1-4: Baltimore at Cleveland /
Aug. 2-4: Boston at Texas / Tampa Bay at Houston
Aug. 5-7: Boston at Kansas City / Houston at Texas
Aug. 9-10: St. Louis at Kansas City
Aug. 9-11: Cleveland at Minnesota (4) / Baltimore at Tampa Bay / Texas at New York / Houston at Boston
Aug. 12-14: Kansas City at Minnesota / Texas at Boston / Houston at Tampa Bay
Aug. 15-18: Minnesota at Texas / Boston at Baltimore
Aug. 19-21: Boston at Houston
Aug. 20-22: at Cleveland at New York
Aut. 22-25: Houston at Baltimore
Aug. 23-25: Texas at Cleveland
Aug. 26-28: Kansas City at Cleveland (4) / Tampa Bay at Seattle
Aug. 29- Sept. 1: Kansas City at Houston

National League 

NL Central

Milwaukee (61-47)
St. Louis (56-52)
Pittsburgh (55-53)
Cincinnati (52-56)
Chicago (52-58)

July records: MIL (11-13), STL (13-12), PIT (15-10), CIN (13-11), CHI (13-12)

NL East

Philadelphia (65-43)
Atlanta (58-49)
New York (57-51)
Washington (49-60)
Miami (40-68)

July records: PHI (10-14), ATL (12-13), NYM (17-10), WSH (10-16), MIA (10-14)

The Mets have a MLB-best record of 33-17 since June 1, and play 10-straight road games to start August.

NL West

Los Angeles (63-46)
San Diego (59-51)
Arizona (58-51)
San Francisco (54-56)
Colorado (39-70)

July records: LAD (11-13), SD (13-9), AZ (17-8), SF (13-12), COL (11-15)

The Diamondbacks have the second-best record in MLB since July at 32-19. The Braves play 14 of their first 17 games in August vs. losing teams, and finish the second half of Aug. with 7 key games vs. the NL East division-leading Phillies.

Division leaders LAD, PHI and MIL all play below .500 baseball in July, and ATL (11-13) no better.

The Dodgers ranked just 19th in the majors during July in total runs (ave. 4.3 per game) and a lowly 27th in pitching staff ERA (5.36).

Key games and schedules

Aug. 2-4: Arizona at Pittsburgh
Aug. 5-7: Philadelphia at LA Dodgers
Aug. 6-8: Milwaukee at Atlanta / San Diego at Pittsburgh
Aug. 8-11: Philadelphia at Arizona
Aug. 9-11: Pittsburgh at LA Dodgers
Aug. 12-14: Pittsburgh at San Diego
Aug. 12-15: LA Dodgers at Milwaukee / Atlanta at San Francisco
Aug. 16-18: LA Dodgers at St. Louis
Aug. 20-22: Milwaukee at St. Louis / Philadelphia at Atlanta
Aug. 22-25: NY Mets at San Diego
Aug. 26-29: San Diego at St. Louis
Aug. 27-29: NY Mets at Arizona / San Francisco at Milwaukee
Aug. 29-Sept. 1: Atlanta at Philadelphia / LA Dodgers at Arizona (4)

Interleague

Aug. 2-4: Philadelphia at Seattle
Aug. 5-7: Arizona at Cleveland
Aug: 6-8: Tampa Bay at St. Louis
Aug. 9-11: NY Mets at Seattle
Aug. 16-18: Cleveland at Milwaukee / Arizona at Tampa Bay / Seattle at Pitt
Aug. 19-21 Minnesota at San Diego / Baltimore at NY Mets / Seattle at LAD
Aug. 23-25: St. Louis at Minnesota / Philadelphia at Kansas City / Arizona at Boston / Tampa Bay at LA Dodgers
Aug. 26-28: Atlanta at Minnesota / Houston at Philadelphia
Aug. 27-29: Baltimore at LA Dodgers
Aug. 30-Sept. 1: Tampa Bay at San Diego / St. Louis at NY Yankees / Pittsburgh at Cleveland

Odds To Win The 2024 World Series

MLB game and futures odds from leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Select sportsbooks also offers MLB series odds, team totals, game and player props, alternate runs and more. MLB adjusted odds as of July 31.

+325: Philadelphia Phillies
+340: Los Angeles Dodgers
+700: New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles
+1200: Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros
+1700: Cleveland Guardians
+2000: Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins
+2500: Seattle Mariners
+3300: San Diego Padres
+4000: Boston Red Sox, New York Mets
+4500: Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers
+5000: Arizona Diamondbacks
+5500: St. Louis Cardinals
+10000: Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants
+12500: Tampa Bay Rays
+25000: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds
+30000: Detroit Tigers
+40000: Toronto Blue Jays
+50000: Washington Nationals

The Mets are the biggest movers in World Series odds since the start of July going from 100/1 to 40/1. The Astros 22/1 to 12/1. The Phillies are now the favorite from +550 to +325 just ahead of the Dodgers (+340).

The National League (-120) is a slight favorite to win the World Series over the American League (-110).

Follow along and compare the futures and season win totals and monitor the team schedules, injuries and key series as the top online sportsbooks adjust the odds and post daily MLB odds and matchups throughout the 2024 MLB season.

You can bet on it.