Marc Marquez Heavily Favored to Win 2019 MotoGP World Championship
- Sportsbooks heavily favor defending champion Marc Marquez to win the 2019 MotoGP title
- Marquez has won seven Grand Prix world championship titles
- Five of those titles are in the MotoGP class
Marc Marquez is MotoGP racing. He owns the podium. Just 26, the Spanish rider won the world championship crown in 2018 for the third straight season and fifth time in six years.
Happy birthday, Marc Márquez!
The reigning World Champion turns 26 today ?
He's rewriting the record books one race at a time ? pic.twitter.com/irK75MwjCZ
— MotoGP on BT Sport (@btsportmotogp) February 17, 2019
No wonder sportsbooks are offering prohibitive odds that he’ll make it four in a row and six of seven during the 2019 Moto GP season.
2019 MotoGP World Championship Odds
| Rider | Odds to Win 2019 Moto GP World Championship |
|---|---|
| Marc Marquez | -175 |
| Andrea Dovizioso | +350 |
| Jorge Lorenzo | +700 |
| Maverick Vinales | +800 |
| Danilo Petrucci | +1200 |
| Valentino Rossi | +1800 |
| Alex Rins | +2000 |
| Cal Crutchlow | +4000 |
| Francesco Bagnaia | +6600 |
| Jack Miller | +6600 |
| Franco Morbidelli | +10000 |
| Johann Zarco | +10000 |
| Joan Mir | +15000 |
| Pol Espargaro | +15000 |
| Takaaki Nakagami | +15000 |
| Aleix Espargaro | +20000 |
| Andrea Iannone | +25000 |
| Fabio Quartararo | +30000 |
| Esteve Rabat | 75000 |
| Miguel Oliveira | +75000 |
| Hafizh Syahrin | +100000 |
| Karel Abraham | +20000 |
*Odds taken on 02/26/19
The 2015 season marked the only time in his career that Marquez didn’t win the MotoGP world title. He finished third that year.
On the Marc
Marquez won nine of 18 races during the 218 MotoGP season. He was a podium finisher 14 times and earned pole position in seven races. He posted four wins in the final six races of the campaign.
Marquez literally lives on the edge when he is on his bike. Leaning over so far in his exaggerated cornering technique, it looks as though he’s on the cusp of falling off his bike in every tight turn.
Overall, in seven MotoGP seasons, he’s won 35 times in 125 starts, a .352 winning percentage. Marquez, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read, and Valentino Rossi are the only motorcycle riders to be world champions in three different categories.
To celebrate @marcmarquez93's 26th birthday, we're throwing it back to his 7 World titles celebrations ?#Level7 pic.twitter.com/hVL3PMgFJW
— MotoGP™?? (@MotoGP) February 17, 2019
In 2013, Marquez became the first rookie since Kenny Roberts in 1978 to win the MotoGP world crown. At the age 20, he was also the youngest world champion in MotoGP history.
Is Marquez Susceptible?
All good things eventually come an end. In this instance, as the 2019 MotoGP season prepares to get underway with the March 10th Qatar GP, there are some minor concerns in both the Marquez and Honda camps.
Marc Marquez and Honda close gap at end of Qatar MotoGP test. Reigning champion's healing shoulder withstands heavy impact. Thinks Ducati being 'very smart'. Lorenzo strong over one lap, but 'very far' for pace… https://t.co/kF07MRe3rn
— MotoSBK (@MotoSBK_) February 26, 2019
The Honda bikes were slow during testing in Qatar, barely cracking the top 10 on Day 1. However, by the third day of testing they were steadily closing that gap and Marquez posted the third-fastest time.
'This sunday was my first ‘normal’ day of testing' – Marc Marquez – https://t.co/jZY5iAkkRQ pic.twitter.com/e3hgnDADkK
— Motorcycle Sports (@MotoSportsPT) February 25, 2019
As well, the champ is coming back from offseason shoulder surgery, and due to the healing process, was forced to limit his number of laps early in preseason training.
If Not Marquez, then Who?
Fellow Spaniard and new Marquez teammate Jorge Lorenzo posted a three-race win streak last year, and won the world title in 2015, the last time Marquez didn’t. It was one of Lorenzo’s three crowns.
New post: "Jorge Lorenzo expecting 'difficult' first MotoGP races with Honda" https://t.co/XE2yPK7sQI
— Glenn Larson☣ (@Angelus1701) February 26, 2019
Italian Andrea Dovizioso won a pair of races and finished second in the title race. The savvy vet Rossi was third overall, but failed to win a single race.
When eyeing who to bet this MotoGP season, it’s still difficult to target anyone but Marquez.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
