Two years ago, I wrote an article following the death of St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Josh Hancock. I asked some industry types about how they treat tragedy when it comes to setting and betting lines.While sports betting can sometimes be a cut-throat business, the impact of these tragic situations hit home with even the most objective oddsmakers. Thursday’s news that Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car accident will be treated in a similar fashion.“It is a touchy situation. We can't change prices because (St. Louis) lost a relief pitcher,” said one Las Vegas linesmaker, who asked to remain anonymous, at the time of Hancock’s death. “We would be more concerned if it was a lineup player. I’m sure emotionally it is affecting them, but there is no history of this to base numbers on. This is a tragedy and it makes our job even harder.”Bookies have to set lines for a team’s games following circumstances like this – it’s their job. But how do bettors treat tragedy? Better yet, should they bet tragedy?It’s a moral dilemma with no right or wrong answer.
I’m sure when the news of Adenhart’s death broke, there were plenty of baseball bettors rushing to play or fade the Angels for Thursday’s series finale with the Oakland Athletics.
If you were one of those bettors, it doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you an insensitive prick, but not a bad person
Of course, all those wagers have been refunded since the teams decided to postpone the game.The million-dollar question is will this tragedy rally the Halos or will it have them focused on everything but baseball in their upcoming games?
Or should you bet this game like any other on the board because that's how books are setting the line for it?
So, as a baseball bettor, what are you planning to do when the Angels host the Boston Red Sox Friday night?
BetJamaica.com has Los Angeles listed as a slight -107 home favorite.