Betting on the Washington Nationals
Playing in Our Nation’s Capital, Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals have wide-scale appeal among sports fans all across the country. The Nationals also have mass appeal to sports bettors in the District of Columbia and states with legal sportsbooks.
Washington Nationals Team Overview
The origins of the Washington Nationals are north of the border in Canada. As part of the league’s plans to extend its reach beyond US borders, the Montreal Expos began play in 1969 as a new MLB expansion franchise.
The extended run in Montreal lasted all the way to 2004. During 35 years as the Expos, the team only qualified for the MLB playoffs in one season. In 1981, Montreal lost the best-of-five National League Championship Series 3-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Widespread interest in the Expos suffered in Canada with just 12 winning seasons in those 35 years.
In 2005, the team made its debut as the Washington Nationals to take the Expos’ place in the NL East. Starting with the 2012 season, the Nationals became a legitimate MLB contender with multiple trips to the postseason.
Everything fell into place in 2019 with a wild card spot in the playoffs. The Nationals made the most of the opportunity by winning the World Series that year.
Dave Martinez took over as the team’s manager the year before. Pitcher Stephen Strasburg went on to win Most Valuable Player honors in Washington’s thrilling World Series win against the Houston Astros. That series went the full seven games with the Nationals winning the clincher.
Playing in the NL East, the Nationals’ biggest rivals are the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. The easiest way to bet on a Washington game against one of these teams is on the MLB total line.
A wager is placed on either the UNDER or OVER on the total line for combined runs scored. If the line was set at 10 runs and Washington wins 6-5, a bet on the OVER would also win.
Betting on the Washington Nationals in the District of Columbia
The District of Columbia legalized sports betting in 2020. The market includes both retail sportsbooks and online mobile betting. Regulated by the DC Lottery, GamebetDC is the primary online sports betting platform in the District.
DC laws governing legal sports betting also offer retail and mobile betting at Nationals Park as the home field of the Washington Nationals.
Washington Nationals Partnership With Sportsbooks
The Washington Nationals have one of the most unique partnerships in place with a US sportsbook. As part of a multi-year deal with BetMGM, Nationals’ fans can bet on home games at the BetMGM Sportsbook in Nationals Park.
Updated on: 01/26/2023
New users only, 21 or older. Offer available in AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, TN, PA, VA, WV, WY only. Full T&C apply.
BetMGM was named the Official Sports Betting Partner of the Washington Nationals in January of 2021. Along with the retail sportsbook at Nationals Park, fans can place legal sports wagers through the BetMGM mobile app within a specified radius of that venue. Betting is legal using apps in Washington DC, but only in certain geofenced areas near sports venues.
