The odds on the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series moved fast at NJ sportsbooks thanks to The Fightin’ Phils signing baseball’s top free agent.
Bryce Harper reportedly agreed to a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies this week, the biggest free-agent deal in Major League Baseball history.
According to most NJ sports betting sites, signing the former Washington Nationals right fielder, 2012 National League Rookie of the Year, and 2015 NL Most Valuable Player had an immediate impact on the Phillies prospects for the upcoming season.
The Bryce Harper effect at NJ sportsbooks
DraftKings Sportsbook documented what it called the Bryce Harper Effect on Twitter.
Apparently, the odds on the Phils to win the NL East moved from +240 to +185 after the signing on Friday.
The odds on the Phillies winning the 2019 NL Pennant moved from +600 to +550, and the Phils odds to win the World Series from +1200 to +1000:
THE RESULTS ARE IN
Bryce Harper has shifted the Phillies' chances of winning the NL East from +240 to +185. pic.twitter.com/ifdrWLGPRD
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) February 28, 2019
On Monday, the odds for the Phillies to win the World Series held at +1000 on DraftKings.
But Harper’s odds to be the home run king this year are not as promising at DraftKings. That position is held by Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton.
FanDuel Sportsbook had the Phillies at +1800 to win the World Series a day before the signing. It has moved down to +1200 now and still sits there as of Monday.
Additionally, FanDuel Sportsbook has moved the odds on the Phillies to win the NL East from +250 to +175, the current favorite. Harper’s total season home runs odds stood at 33.5.
And for those who think Harper will hit a home run on opening day, there’s a prop bet for that at FanDuel, too, at +320.
Bronx Bombers still boss for World Series title
Of course, the team that plays a couple of hours up I-95 from Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park are still the favorites to win it all this season at most NJ sportsbooks.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the New York Yankees to win the World Series at +600.
BetStars NJ has the defending champion Boston Red Sox (+600) as the favorite. However, the Yankees are right behind at +700 and the Phillies moved up to +1000 after signing Harper.
You can also bet Harper to hit over or under 35.5 home runs this season at -117.65 on BetStars.
In the meantime, both SugarHouse Sportsbook and 888 Sportsbook still have the defending NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers as the favorite to win the NL pennant at +400.
However, signing Harper has moved the line on the Phillies to win the NL down to +500.
The line on the Phillies to win the World Series has moved down to +1000 on Caesars Sportsbook as well. Plus, the over/under on Phillies wins this season has moved up to 89 (-110), a line that was at 87 at most NJ sportsbooks just 24 hours earlier.
Believe the hype with Harper and Phillies
There’s bound to be a lot of hype surrounding the signing of a free agent of this magnitude to the richest contract in baseball history.
Hype often motivates gamblers to bet and their action can move lines.
Therefore, one can expect even further movement on the various Phillies’ futures lines at NJ online sportsbooks ahead of baseball’s opening day on March 28.
The Phillies, whose last winning season came in 2011, are contenders once again.
So, you can also expect there to be plenty of action on the local favorite at NJ sportsbooks all season long.