Rocky mountain low: Books use record-high run lines vs. ‘dreadful’ Rockies

The Chicago White Sox went 41-121 last season to finish with the most losses in modern MLB history (since 1901). But they probably won’t be stuck with that ignominious mark much longer, thanks to the colossally bad Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies have reached 50 losses (9-50) faster than any other MLB team since the 1800s and are on pace to finish with the worst record in baseball history. At Colorado’s current rate (.153 winning percentage through Sunday), it will finish 25-137 and eclipse the all-time record for most losses (134) in a season, set by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders.

“This team is just dreadful,” Westgate SuperBook manager Randy Blum said. “I think last year’s White Sox were way better than this team, and that says a lot.

“I really don’t have anything to be encouraged about if I were a Rockies fan.”

Colorado has been the biggest loser, by far, for baseball bettors. A $100 bettor would be down $3,255 if they backed the Rockies in every game. On the flip side, a $100 bettor who faded, or bet against, Colorado in every game would be up $2,875.

“You definitely have a consistent element of the public betting against them,” Circa sportsbook director Chris Bennett said. “They could be laying a big price on the money line for a straight bet. They could be laying 1½, 2½ or 3½ runs, depending on what run line they find most appealing. And, of course, they put it in parlays with other big favorites on the money line.”

With Colorado’s opponents often commanding prohibitive money lines from -300 to -400 — and standard -1½ run lines priced at -200 or more — sportsbooks have raised run lines to 2½ or 3½. Bennett said 3½ is the highest number he has ever used for a standard run line, and he estimates the book has used it in about a dozen Rockies games.

“We’re kind of doing something different than the market when we use 2½ or 3½, but I just think it’s more logical to do it this way,” he said. “The idea behind the standard run line on a game is to use the spread that will be closest to -110 on the price. That’s what you do in football and basketball, and I’m just applying that to baseball.

“There are so many games where -1½ is going to be plus money, but when the -1½ is -220, that’s less interesting. So we’re going to use a higher run line with a price that is closer to -110.”

‘We’re giving them the answer’

The Westgate has yet to use a -3½ run line, but it has used 2½ on multiple Rockies games.

“Our biggest games on the Rockies that we’ve sweated this year is when we actually used 2½ on the run line. We didn’t even need them to win. We could’ve lost by two and still won,” Blum said. “Laying 2½ runs with a small price, or even getting plus money at times, is a more enticing price for the general public.

“It’s almost like they feel like we’re giving them the answer by going to 2½. Like, ‘Oh, this game’s going to get out of control.’ That’s the mindset some people go by.”

Colorado also is the biggest loser for bettors on the run line, going 20-39 for a loss of $1,584.

Of the Rockies’ 50 losses, 29 have been by three runs or more, including 22 by four or more.

Colorado is last in MLB in batting average (.215) and runs scored (184) and next to last in ERA (5.59) behind the Athletics (5.71), who had lost six straight and 17 of 18 through Sunday. The Rockies had lost eight straight and 13 of 14.

“In the past, we’re rooting against some of the really good teams, and you might have a bad team sprinkled in there. It really seems elevated this year that we’re continually rooting for the Rockies on a nightly basis,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “We’re rooting against the Cubs, Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers and Mets on a daily basis, and we’re also rooting for the Rockies, A’s and some of the bad teams as well on a daily basis.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.