It’s hard to remember a time when the state of Florida had no baseball betting presence whatsoever, but it wasn’t really all that long ago.
Just a few decades ago, the home MLB betting spring training hadn’t a single team in the professional baseball betting ranks. But thankfully that’s all changed and the state now not only has two teams in the MLB betting odds, but two pretty good teams at that.
The Florida Marlins (31-34) have won the World Series betting competition twice in their brief existence. The Tampa Bay Rays have been featured in the World Series odds competition once in their even briefer existence and as of press time, had the best record in baseball betting (41-24).
These two teams will go head to head on Friday June 18th to battle for the state of Florida. Just a week ago these team’s played a three-game MLB betting series in Tampa Bay with the Marlins taking two of three.
That series provides little insight into the upcoming baseball betting series other than the fact that sports betting fans should expect a wild and crazy series and expect the unexpected.
The Marlins are just .500 at home this season (17-17) and draw so few fans that there’s a good chance the Rays will have more fans in the stands than the Fish.
The Rays will also have a definite advantage on the mound as well. Matt Garza (7-4, 3.50 ERA) will get the start for Tampa while Florida will send struggling Nate Robertson (4-5, 4.57 ERA) out for the start.
But Marlins are a terrific team at the plate, especially producing late inning runs and over the past few years have been among the MLB betting leaders in come from behind wins. Conversely the Fish also have the worst bullpen in the universe and no lead is safe for a Florida starting pitcher –just ask ace Josh Johnson who has an ERA of 1.86 but just 7 wins.
Still, the Marlins always seem to play their best ball against the Rays and even with a pitching disadvantage look for the team to defend its home turf by getting on the board early and winning this intra-state baseball betting matchup.