Home runs are on the rise again in Major League Baseball. That's obviously great for fans who like action and fireworks at the ballpark. It's also great for fans playing SecondTicket's annual MLB All-Star Game pool, the All-Star Ticket Slam. This is the pool's 10th year, and the odds of having a $5,000 payout have never been better.
WHY THE INCREASE IN HOME RUNS?
There are various hypothesis for the increase in home runs, ranging from players upswinging more to juiced baseballs. CBS Sports even predicted the increase before the season.
WHO CARES WHY! IT JUST IMPROVES YOUR ODDS OF WINNING!
Whatever the reason, it's great for you, because the primary object of the All-Star Ticket Slam is to pick players who you think will hit a home run - and specifically, a grand slam. Not coincidentally, grand slams are also happening more often, every 19 games in the 2017 MLB season (through June 26th). This is FAR more frequent than in recent seasons. In the first half of the 2016 season, they occurred every 27 games; in 2015, it was every 31 games.
So all SecondTicket fans at least 18 years of age are encouraged to play by picking one starter and one reserve from each league, plus predict the game's total number of runs, hits and errors (RHE). The First Prize is up to $500 in free tickets (depending on the number of participating fans) and the Grand Prize is a share of $5,000. Participation is free, and a majority of participants will also win credits for up to 20% off tickets.
HOW YOUR PREDICTIONS TRANSLATE TO POINTS
Once you pick your players, you receive points and ticket credits for every hit, run, RBI, walk and stolen base posted by those players. The real jackpot comes if one of your players hits a grand slam in the 2nd or 8th inning, in which case you share a $5,000 payout with all other fans who picked the same player. A grand slam in any other inning does not trigger the $5K payout, but it virtually guarantees you'll be in the running for First Prize.
Secondarily, your RHE prediction adds to your point total. The more accurate your prediction, the more your point total multiplies. Predict the exact RHE for a 50% bonus or come within 10 RHE for a 10% bonus. The RHE multiplier makes it possible to win the pool without picking the best four players.
Information about the number of runs, hits and errors in Major League Baseball games can be difficult to find, so here is a graph that shows the most frequent totals over a span of 2,800 regular season MLB games and all 53 All-Star Games.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS
The pool opens Wednesday, July 5th at 10:00a ET, and the deadline to is 6:00p ET on Tuesday, July 11th. Points also count toward the 2017 Mega Pool, with a separate $500-1,000 First Prize.
For this pool more than any other, we recommend reviewing your selections periodically because some players withdraw from the game and others are moved from Reserve to Starter. Invalid player selections do not invalidate your entry, but they count for zero points. Follow @themegapool on Twitter for roster updates from both leagues.
Enjoy the All-Star Game and good luck in the pool!