Sportsbook.com Posts Barry Bonds Drug Suspension Odds

SAN FRANCISCO, California -- Sportsbook.com is the first online sportsbook to post odds on whether Barry Bonds will be hit with a drug related suspension by Major League Baseball in 2006, following
Barry Bonds needs 48 homeruns to break the Hank Aaron's record  Bud Selig's announcement of an impending investigation into the alleged use of performance enhancing drugs. With the San Francisco Giants set to kick-off their 2006 season tonight, odds makers are anticipating a season filled with intrigue and controversy surrounding the game's biggest star and its biggest story maker.

"Odds right now are against a drug related suspension, mainly because there were no rules preventing the use of performance enhancing drugs at the time Bonds is alleged to have taken them," said Alex Czajkowski, Sportsbook.com. "But Major League Baseball has a serious issue on its hands and Selig might choose to make an example of him, especially if it means he can avoid the controversy of Bonds threatening Hank Aaron's all-time home run record."

As it stands, a $100 bet that Bonds will be suspended for drug use would result in a $250 pay out. Players would have to wager $350 on no suspension in order to win $100.

Sportbook.com has also posted odds on how many home runs Bonds will hit this season, with the over/under set at 34.5. Bonds enters this year with 708 homers and trails only Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) on the career list. He returns to action tonight against San Diego's Jake Peavy, the same pitcher who gave up Bonds' 700th homer, on Sept. 17, 2004, in San Francisco. Incidentally, Sportbook.com owns that historic ball, which it purchased at auction from Sotheby's. Sportsbook.com offered to donate the ball to the Hall of Fame but was turned down because of the 'shrine's' fear of accepting the gift from a gambling organization. Sportsbook.com is currently offering odds on whether Bonds, an alleged drug-user, will be voted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Currently, odds makers say no with odds set at 2-3.

"It'll be interesting to see how Bonds performs and reacts to all this controversy and attention and it will also be interesting to see how baseball voters regard him after his career is over," added Czajkowski. "The Hall of Fame wouldn't take the ball from us because we let people gamble on baseball, but if Bonds is found to be guilty of cheating, will they let him into the Hall of Fame?"