It’s been seven seasons since the Kansas City Royals shocked the world by knocking off the New York Mets in five games to capture the franchise’s second championship.
While 2015 was a year to remember, it’s safe to say the interim has been a stretch to forget, with the Royals winning no more than 81 games between 2016 and 2022 and failing to make the playoffs.
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Fresh off a 65-97 campaign that saw the Royals finish dead-last in the AL Central, it’s safe to wonder whether 2023 (the first full season Royals fans have Kansas sports betting at their disposal) will be reprieve or more of the same.
Based on the team’s preseason championship odds at BetMGM Sportsbook Kansas (+20000) and its win total of 69.5, one can assume 2023 will be another year without postseason baseball in Kansas City.
Still, BetKansas.com, your home for all the coverage of Kansas mobile betting apps, wanted to shake out how the Royals’ best and worst teams have started their seasons to get a handle on what this year’s team will need to do to return to the playoffs.
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Best Royals Seasons*
| Year | Overall Record | Record After 20 Games |
| 2015 | 95-67 | 14-6 |
| 1985 | 91-71 | 11-9 |
| 2014 | 89-73 | 10-10 |
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Worst Royals Seasons
| Year | Overall Record | Record After 20 Games |
| 2005 | 56-106 | 5-15 |
| 2018 | 58-104 | 5-15 |
| 2004 | 58-104 | 8-12 |
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Is Opening Month Crucial For Royals’ Chances?
Based off the Royals three best seasons, it’s safe to say early season success is not necessarily a harbinger of what’s to come, with Kansas City’s three World Series teams winning 11.7 games on average over that 20-game interval.
The team’s three worst clubs (2004, 2005 and 2018) did start poorly, however, winning 5.7 games on average, which shows the Royals should probably look to at least tread water out of the gate in 2023 in order to reach the postseason.
According to Power Rankings Guru, this year’s Royals team may get a bit of a reprieve when it comes to the strength of their opponents, with the 12th hardest schedule in the league.
With series against Minnesota, Toronto, Atlanta and Texas at home to go with road clashes against San Francisco, the Rangers and Anaheim in the team’s opening stretch, it seems there’s reason to be hopeful.
Only the Blue Jays and Braves made the playoffs in 2022, while the Twins, Rangers, Giants and Angels combined to go 300-348 (.462) last season.
Now, the task for the Royals is to roll forward into the regular season in order to reach heights they last got to nearly a decade ago.
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