Betting on Barry Bonds Home Run Record Begins

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao –  The biggest story in spring training is the return of Barry Bonds after an injury-plagued 2005 season. Entering his 21st Major League season at the age of 41, Bonds
Barry Bonds needs 48 homeruns to break the Hank Aaron's record 
  currently sits in third place on the all-time homerun list with 708, but has already hinted this could be his final season. With his pursuit of Hank Aaron's homerun record and potential retirement already capturing headlines, PinnacleSports.com today opened a number of wagering options on Bonds' 2006 season including whether the Giants' slugger will set a new career homerun mark this season.

The largest sports betting site on the Internet, PinnacleSports.com lists Bonds as a 6/1 long shot to set a new career homerun record by smashing 48 round-trippers this season. With speculation that Bonds may call it a career after the 2006 season, PinnacleSports.com has put the likelihood of the future Hall of Famer retiring before the start of the 2007 season at 10/11 odds. Despite allegations that Bonds has used performance enhancing drugs during his baseball career, the outfielder is yet to have a positive drug test and the odds that he'll receive a drug-related suspension in 2006 are a 14/1 long shot.

"Although he's 41 years old and approaching the twilight of his career, Barry Bonds is still the most dominant offensive player in the game today," said Simon Noble of PinnacleSports.com. "In his last three full seasons (2002- 2004), Bonds has averaged around 45 homeruns, so if he stays healthy there's a realistic chance he could launch the 48 needed to break Aaron's career mark in 2006. Even if he finishes the season just short of the most sacred record in baseball, Bonds has indicated his health will dictate whether he returns for a 22nd big league season in 2007."

Knowing that the San Francisco slugger is best known for his power numbers, PinnacleSports.com has also created betting options on how many homeruns Bonds will hit this season. The odds that Bonds will slug between 40 and 50 homeruns this season, following heavy backing from bettors, is now a 5/2 favorite. PinnacleSports.com lists the odds on the single-season homerun king hitting 60 or more bombs this year as a 50/1 long shot.