MLB Odds: Bettor To Earn Massive Payout If Shohei Ohtani Wins AL MVP

Someone might be happier than Shohei Ohtani himself if the Los Angeles Angels dual-threat phenom takes home one of Major League Baseball’s highest individual honors.

According to ESPN’s David Purdum, a bettor will profit $900,000 if Ohtani is named the American League’s Most Valuable Player for the 2021 season. The big spender back in mid-March placed a $30,000 AL MVP wager on Ohtani, who opened with 60-to-1 odds to win the prestigious award.

On the flip side, William Hill will take on a seven-figure loss if Ohtani bests fellow finalists Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien, a pair of Toronto Blue Jays infielders.

It did not take very long for Ohtani’s MVP odds to dramatically shift. As Purdum notes, the 27-year-old in June became the favorite to take home the hardware.

The Japanese superstar was a force to be reckoned with from wire to wire. He finished the regular season third in the AL in home runs (46), fourth in slugging percentage (.592) and fifth in OPS (.965). Ohtani also was very effective on the mound, compiling a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA over 23 starts (130 1/3 innings).

The MVP winner in both leagues will be revealed Thursday evening. Bryce Harper, Juan Soto and FeFernando Tatís Jr. are the National League finalists.