The best NRFI bet for Friday, Aug. 2, comes early, so if you blink, you might miss it. There’s only one place you can really bet it and still get value, thanks to this 33% no run first inning boost at BetMGM. So, make sure you’re signed up at BetMGM, and using that boost to get this NRFI bet at -125 odds today, because otherwise, the pickins’ are slim. Now let’s talk about my favorite no run first inning pick today …
NRFI Bets Today: Best No Run First Inning Picks & Predictions
Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers | NRFI Bets Today
This Royals-Tigers NRFI bet today will, hands down, be the most-bet no run first inning pick on Friday. And, for good reason.
It’s the best possible matchup with two of the best pitchers in the American League — hell, all of baseball for that matter — and the projected total is sitting at 7 runs. So it’s all setting up for a low-scoring game.
The Tigers ace and Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal gets the ball in the top half of the first, and he’s cashed 76.2% of his NRFI bets this season. And prior to his last outing against the Cleveland Guardians, Skubal had cashed in on eight straight no run first inning chances, so he now sits with an overall record of 16-5 on NRFIs.
He’s faced Kansas City twice this season, and has gone 1-1 on NRFI bets against them so far, but the one loss was all the back on April 28.
That seems more like a blip on the radar, as we can see that Skubal’s Baseball Savant page basically shows him in the 90th percentile rankings of every meaningful pitching category.
Mainly the whiff rate, strikeout rate and walk rate, which are absolutely incredible.
Cole Ragans is our huckleberry in the bottom half, who is 17-5 on NRFI bets this year, and has cashed four consecutive no run first inning opportunities of his own. He’s also blanked this Tigers team once for a NRFI already in 2024.
This is a prime matchup for Ragans, who gets to face a Tigers team that is bottom 6 in all of baseball against left-handed pitching, and is now without strong platoon-advantage player Mark Canha after trading him away at the deadline.
Detroit is hitting just .239 against opposing lefties in 2024, and Ragans has an expected batting average against of .230 this season, so I think we continue to see him mowing down the competition.
Make sure to use the 33% boost at BetMGM to get the sweeter odds on this NRFI bet today, and let’s cash this Royals-Tigers no run first inning pick heading into the weekend.
Best NRFI Bets Today: Royals-Tigers NRFI (-125, BetMGM w/ 33% Boost)
If you want more MLB betting picks and predictions for Friday, August 2, check out this market-based MLB betting model pick from the OddsShopper tools.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan has a strikeout prop of over/under 6.5 against the Chicago White Sox.
While the Sox aren’t a great team, the reason why this is currently the top-projected bet in the OddsShopper model is because of the plus-money value we’re getting.
The +115 odds makes this a positive expected value (+EV), and has it rated with a 3.5% EV mark, while the true odds are actually sitting at +108.
So, we’re getting 7 points of value. And, as you can see, other books such as Pinnacle Sportsbook, which is largely considered to be the sharpest sportsbook in the world, has this bet listed at -115 odds, so there is literally ZERO VALUE on this bet there.
But, if you bet this at BetMGM, we’re stealing 30 points of value compared to Pinnacle.
