The Toronto Blue Jays have been part of the Cy Young conversation since voters robbed Jays legend Dave Stieb of the award back in 1982. Now there’s an even bigger conversation around the Cy Young award since Canadians can bet on who they think will win the Cy Young at private online sportsbooks.
See below for how to bet on the Cy Young Awards online in Canada, including the latest Cy Young odds direct from legal online sportsbooks.
AL & NL Cy Young odds
Below you’ll find a direct feed of the current Cy Young betting odds for both the American and National League. You can click on any odds listed below to go directly to the online sportsbook and begin the betting process.
How MLB Cy Young odds work
Betting on the Cy Young is similar to any other sports betting futures bets. You place a bet on a pitcher you think might win at the currently posted moneyline odds, locking in those odds, but the outcome isn’t determined until a future date.
In the case of the AL and NL Cy Young Awards, the honours are handed out after the MLB season.
You can bet on the AL and NL Cy Young Award winners anytime, though, as odds are first released in the offseason and altered throughout the regular season. But as mentioned earlier, you lock in the currently posted odds at the time you place a bet. That means that no matter how much the odds change, you’ll get paid at your originally selected odds if your pitcher wins.
For the most part, this means that the earlier you bet, the better the odds. Prices go up substantially on the eventual winners as the season goes on and they prove themselves true contenders for the Cy Young.
Recent Cy Young betting trends
1. Bet on a starting pitcher over a reliever
If there’s one thing you can bet on when it comes to the Cy Young Awards, a starting pitcher will win more often than not. In fact, starters have won the award 92 percent of the time in the American League and 90 percent in the National League since 1967, when MLB began naming separate Cy Young winners in each league.
It’s not that a reliever can’t win; it’s just that relievers don’t win very often. Just nine have won Cy Young Awards since 1967, including:
- Eric Gagne (NL) (2003)
- Dennis Eckersley (AL) (1992)
- Mark Davis (NL) (1989)
- Steve Bedrosian (NL) (1987)
- Willie Hernandez (AL) (1984)
- Rollie Fingers (AL) (1981)
- Bruce Sutter (NL) (1979)
- Sparky Lyle (AL) (1977)
- Mike Marshall (NL) (1974)
It takes almost a Hall-of-Fame type of season to get it done, as evidenced by Dennis Eckersley‘s 1992 stats. Eckersley posted an incredible 51 saves and 1.91 ERA, which landed him not only the 1992 Cy Young but also 1992 AL MVP.
The last reliever to win it was Eric Gagne in the NL in 2003. He put up one of the greatest seasons by a closer in MLB history, going a perfect 55 of 55 in save opportunities. What’s more, Gagne is Canadian and became just the second-ever Canadian to win a Cy Young behind Ferguson Jenkins (1971).
2. Bet on a right-handed, 20-game winner
You can probably count on the Cy Young winner being a right-hander as well. A lefty has only won 28 percent of the time in the AL and 32 percent in the NL since 1967, making righties the better bet. This despite lefty Randy Johnson winning four in a row from 1999-2002 and lefty Clayton Kershaw winning in 2011, 2013, and 2014.
Betting that the Cy Young honouree will be a 20-game winner is also a pretty good bet. While there are a few notable exceptions, since 1967, AL Cy Young winners have averaged 21 wins. Meanwhile, NL Cy Young winners have averaged 20.
3. Avoid a Yankee
Finally, while you can almost always bet on the New York Yankees in anything MLB related, you might want to avoid picking a Yankee pitcher to win the AL Cy Young. Just three Yankees (Roger Clemens 2001, Ron Guidry 1978 and Sparky Lyle 1977) have won the award since 1967. In the meantime, the Boston Red Sox have won a record seven AL Cy Young Awards, and the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers have each won seven in the NL.
Last 10 AL Cy Young winners
Pat Hentgen nabbed the Jays’ first Cy Young honour in 1996. Roger Clemens won back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards in 1997 and 1998 as a Blue Jay to make it three in a row for Canada. Another Jays legend, Roy Halladay, brought the Cy Young back to Canada in 2003.
Robbie Ray, who surprised the entire league with a huge bounce-back year, added one more Cy Young Award to the city in 2021. Here’s a look at the past 10 AL Cy Young winners including Ray:
| Year | Pitcher | Team | Record | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Robbie Ray | Toronto | 13-7 | 2.84 |
| 2020 | Shane Bieber | Cleveland | 8-1 | 1.63 |
| 2019 | Justin Verlander | Houston | 21-6 | 2.58 |
| 2018 | Blake Snell | Tampa Bay | 21-5 | 1.89 |
| 2017 | Corey Kluber | Cleveland | 18-4 | 2.25 |
| 2016 | Rick Porcello | Boston | 22-4 | 3.15 |
| 2015 | Dallas Keuchel | Houston | 20-8 | 2.48 |
| 2014 | Corey Kluber | Cleveland | 18-9 | 2.44 |
| 2013 | Max Scherzer | Detroit | 21-3 | 2.90 |
| 2012 | David Price | Tampa Bay | 20-5 | 2.56 |
Last 10 NL Cy Young winners
And these were the 10 ten NL Cy Young winners:
| Year | Pitcher | Team | Record | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Corbin Burnes | Milwaukee | 11-5 | 2.43 |
| 2020 | Trevor Bauer | Cincinnati | 5-4 | 1.73 |
| 2019 | Jacob deGrom | NY Mets | 11-8 | 2.43 |
| 2018 | Jacob deGrom | NY Mets | 10-9 | 1.70 |
| 2017 | Max Scherzer | Washington | 16-6 | 2.51 |
| 2016 | Max Scherzer | Washington | 20-7 | 2.96 |
| 2015 | Jake Arrieta | Chicago Cubs | 22-6 | 1.77 |
| 2014 | Clayton Kershaw | LA Dodgers | 21-3 | 1.77 |
| 2013 | Clayton Kershaw | LA Dodgers | 16-9 | 1.83 |
| 2012 | R.A. Dickey | NY Mets | 20-6 | 2.73 |
More MLB futures odds
There are several other MLB futures odds markets outside of the Cy Young Awards. Baseball wagers that can be found at Canadian online sportsbooks include:
- Division winner odds
- Pennant winner odds
- Over/Under team win totals
- Wild Card berth odds
- Make the postseason
- World Series odds
- AL/NL MVP odds
- AL/NL Rookie of the Year
- AL/NL Manager of the Year
- AL/NL Relievers of the Year
- Comeback Players of the Year
- Jays futures odds
- Mariners futures odds
Cy Young Betting FAQ
How are the AL, NL Cy Young Awards determined?
The Cy Young Award is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. One Association representative votes for each team. Since 2010, the voters have cast a ballot with votes for first, second, third, fourth and fifth place. The weighted sum formula is used to calculate final scores, and the pitcher with the highest score in each league wins. If there’s a tie, the award is shared.
Which player & team has won the most Cy Young awards?
Pitchers from the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers have won seven Cy Young Awards. These teams are tied for tops in the MLB. Roger Clemens has won seven Cy Young Awards himself—a record. Of course, Clemens won two as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
What are the most controversial Cy Young picks of recent years?
There haven’t been many strong arguments against the Cy Young winners of recent years. Of course, Jacob deGrom won back-to-back NL Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019, and the most wins he had in either season was 11, making the choice somewhat controversial. However, he was the NL ERA leader in 2018 and NL strikeouts leader in 2019.
Who’s posted the best Cy Young years?
It’s hard to say which pitcher has compiled the ultimate Cy Young season, but it’s also hard to argue with perfection. Canadian Eric Gagne was a perfect 55 of 55 in save opportunities in 2003 en route to his Cy Young win, making his one of the best Cy Young winning seasons ever. Among starters, Steve Carlton (1972) and Bob Welch (1990) each won 27 games en route Cy Young wins, making theirs two of the best ever.
Is it ever good to bet on a repeat Cy Young winner?
It’s not a bad idea; that’s for sure. Jacob deGrom just did it, going back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. Here’s a list of the 18 other multiple Cy Young winners:
- Justin Verlander (2)
- Corey Kluber (2)
- Johan Santana (2)
- Bret Saberhagen (2)
- Jim Palmer (3)
- Denny McLain (2)
- Bob Gibson (2)
- Tom Seaver (3)
- Gaylord Perry (2)
- Steve Carlton (4)
- Greg Maddux (4)
- Pedro Martínez (3)
- Tom Glavine (2)
- Randy Johnson (5)
- Roger Clemens (7)
- Tim Lincecum (2)
- Clayton Kershaw (3)
- Max Scherzer (3)
When is the best time to bet Cy Young futures?
Like any other futures bet, it’s better to place bets in the offseason. Prices rise dramatically on the eventual winners as the season goes on.
Is it easier to pick AL Cy Young or NL Cy Young?
The AL and NL mirror each other in so many ways, and it’s impossible to say which is easier to predict. Anyone who says so must be lying.