New York, NY – Aaron Judge, renowned for his exceptional batting skills, is on the brink of pursuing another historic achievement as he aims to join the elite club of players who have hit .400 in a single season. The last player to reach this benchmark was Ted Williams in 1941, and since then, no one has come particularly close, with Tony Gwynn posting a .394 average in 1994 being the closest attempt.
Judge has had an impressive start to the current season, boasting a remarkable .397 batting average through 52 games, significantly leading the league. His closest competitor, Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, trails at .357. Amid this surge, sports betting markets continue to monitor Judge’s performance closely. Since opening at +25000 on May 2, the odds for Judge achieving a .400 average have shifted to +15000, indicating increasing speculation surrounding his potential.
One bettor has placed a significant wager of $2,000 on Judge to hit .400 when the odds were at +17500, eyeing a possible payout of $350,000. According to BetMGM, this wager highlights Judge’s .400 average as the sportsbook’s primary liability in MLB bets this season.
BetMGM’s Trading Manager, Hal Egeland, remarked on the public’s interest in historic milestones in baseball, indicating that the allure of numbers like 62 home runs or a .400 batting average often captivates fans, even beyond betting circles. Interest intensifies when a player is in contention for a significant achievement, showcasing the historical significance of these records in the sport.
Beyond batting average, Judge is a contender for the American League Triple Crown, leading the league in home runs with 18, just ahead of Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, who has 17. However, Judge has 47 RBIs, falling short of Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox, who leads with 48. Betting interest in Judge’s pursuit of the Triple Crown has not matched that of hitting .400, with odds for winning the Triple Crown at +135 compared to -200 for not achieving that feat.
Egeland noted that the betting volume reflects the relative appeal of these two achievements, explaining that bettors often prefer higher payoffs, particularly when considering a bet that will extend throughout the MLB season. If Judge maintains his current pace, further betting activity is expected.
In addition to his offensive achievements, Judge is a leading candidate for the AL MVP award. He began the season as a co-favorite at +300 but quickly surged to -110 and then expanded his lead to -1000. As of now, his odds stand at -3000, reflecting a 97 percent implied probability of winning, with Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals trailing at +1400.
Daily betting action shows Judge’s popularity remains unmatched. Caesars’ lead baseball trader, Eric Biggio, pointed out that while Shohei Ohtani receives considerable attention, Judge attracts significantly more bets—up to 50 percent more on any given day compared to Ohtani. The gap in popularity for player prop wagers has widened significantly as the season progresses.
Egeland noted the initial competitiveness between Judge and Ohtani in early season prop bets, but observed that Judge has since overtaken Ohtani by a substantial margin, with no other player coming close to their level of betting interest.
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