How to bet the All-Star Game? Let us count the ways

The American League (-102) has won eight straight Midsummer Classics, yet the National League (-116) is favored across all sportsbooks.

Why? Injuries.

AL elected starters Jose Altuve and Mike Trout are out, and AL starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander are inactive after making starts over the weekend. The National League is down elected starters Bryce Harper and Jazz Chisholm Jr., along with pitchers Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Josh Hader. If both teams were at 100%, it very well could be a pick 'em game, but we don't live in that kind of world. 

So, how should you bet the All-Star Game? One thing's certain, it's not clear cut. Should you focus on the over/under and not touch the moneyline or spread? Or should you just focus on the moneyline and spread? Well, those are all extremely tough questions. Luckily, there are lots of ways to approach Tuesday's All-Star Game. 

Moneyline: The AL leads the all-time series, 46-43-2, and has won 21 of the last 24 matchups. High-scoring game, low-scoring game, AL as the home team, AL as the away team, or even extra innings, the AL has had the NL's number. I'm not superstitious or anything, but 21-3 over the last 24 years is not something to mess with. I'm taking the AL. 

Yes, Mike Trout, the face of baseball and maybe even the greatest player of all time, is out, but the AL still has plenty of depth. Shohei Ohtani is the most dynamic player in the game, and Aaron Judge has been a beast so far this season. Plus, the NL is down Harper, which is a really big loss. It's not that big of a gap, but the AL starting lineup is slightly better than the NL's. 

Most starters don't get more than two at-bats, which means bench play is critical, just as much as pitching depth. Advantage also to the AL. Luis Arraez leads MLB in batting average, Jose Ramirez is the best switch hitter in baseball and Byron Buxton is the best defensive outfielder and fastest player in the All-Star Game. The NL definitely has a good bench — they're All-Stars for a reason — and while the NL offers more power, it has less speed and versatility. Those things add up in a game this evenly matched. 

If the NL had Burnes, Fried, Rodon or Hader, I'd take the NL. Replacing the best left-handed reliever in the game in Hader is a huge loss, not to mention Rodon, who has been one of the most pleasant first-half surprises in baseball. Plus, veterans like Burnes and Fried are not only good, but they've been there before. Not to mention all four have swing-and-miss stuff. Even though the NL still has better overall arms than the AL, the loss of those four terrifies me. If the NL can get an early lead, it might win this game, but that's a big ask. It's super close, but take the AL over the NL on Tuesday. 

Spread: NL +1.5 (-200) is my most confident bet out of the three. Coincidentally, it offers the worst odds out of the three. Two of the last four All-Star Games have been decided by a run, and I expect that to be the case on Tuesday. Why? The teams are just so evenly matched.

The AL has the better bench and starting lineup, but the NL has the better overall pitching staff. Even if the NL gets down early, the pitching staff should keep it in this game. Sandy Alcantara, Tony Gonsolin, Edwin Diaz and Devin Williams need to be on point if the NL has a chance, and I expect them to be. They've all been great this season, and for an NL team that is already down four arms, the Senior Circuit players are going to need them to be if they're going to have a chance. 

Over/under:  The line is set at 7.5, with the over (-115) slightly favored over the under (-105). This is just as tough as picking the winner of the game, but I'm taking the over. Today's game has never been more predicated on home runs and strikeouts, and I expect lots of both. Both teams very well may hit two home runs each, and both teams might strike out 12+ hitters, but assuming those homers to be solo shots is a big ask. Not to mention, Dodger Stadium has been considered a hitter-friendly stadium this year.

I know the final score the last two years has resulted in seven, but run totals are starting to increase across MLB. It could be for many reasons — the weather, the ball, pitchers getting tired, hitters getting more comfortable, etc. — but with more pitchers than position players opting out on Tuesday, expect a bit higher-scoring of a game. I'm not saying both teams are going to seven or more runs, but don't be surprised to see a 5-4 or 6-5 game.

In other news ...

Soto wins Home Run Derby —  Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto defeated Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez in the finals to win Monday's Home Run Derby. Soto entered the Derby as the No. 4 seed with 6-1 odds to win the Derby. Soto's Derby title ended Pete Alonso's quest to become the first player to ever win three straight Home Run Derbys.

Women's soccer seals Olympics spot — The United States' Women's National Soccer Team shut out Canada, 1-0, in the CONCACAF women's championship game on Tuesday. The win secures the U.S. women a spot in the 2024 Olympics. 

The ESPYs — The 2022 ESPYs, hosted by Stephen Curry, is Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The list of all the award categories and nominees is available here.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jared Shlensky