Interesting Facts about Betting on MLB
- Runline bets are great alternative to moneyline bets in MLB betting
- The season is yearlong and therefore presents countless betting opportunities
- Parlays in MLB betting is very risky
Major league baseball
comes alive during the summer, giving punters and baseball fans a variety of betting prospects. Research is pivotal to a successful betting career in major league baseball. Very good knowledge of team strength, winning statistics etc. are essential ingredients in laying a successful bet and reading our
MLB predictions
on a regular basis will really help you out too. Now let's consider some strategies unique to betting on MLB.
Moneyline MLB Betting
As in our NBA betting article, moneyline wager is one that is placed on either the favorite or the underdog to win straight up. All that matters is who wins. The minus sign
(-)
is always attached to the perceived favorites and the plus sign
(+)
to the perceived underdog. The number after the plus sign is the payout on a $100 bet while the number after the minus sign is the money you will wager to get a payout worth $100.
Example
For the Boston
Red Sox
and the
Chicago White Sox.
A game line would look something like this:
Red Sox -110 vs White Sox +150
The above game point suggest that a stake on the favorites( Red Sox) would cost you $110 to win $100 while a $100 wager on White Sox pays you $150.
MLB features 162-game season per team and 30 teams
The season is yearlong and therefore presents countless betting opportunities
The Run-line Bet
Run line bets are particularly special to baseball and are also quite regular among punters. Consider a
run line bet in the form of a point spread for baseball. This is especially good for
betting favorites.
Let’s assume you are backing a favorite club at a odd of -1.5 run line. The implication of this is that the backed team must win by atleast 2 runs in order to deliver the bet. Should in case you were backing the underdog at +1.5, then you need your team to win by one or win the game altogether.
Boston Red Sox -1.5 +110 and Chicago White Sox +1.5 -140
The White Sox odds of winning by 1.5 or more runs are tougher and they are perceived as underdogs. The Red Sox could be defeated by a run but pay off as a favorite on the runline. Sportsbook sets the runline based on performances of the paired team
Betting MLB Totals
Totals, or over/under, bets are another type of stakes that sports punters place on baseball games.
An MLB total betting allows a punter to bet on the total numbers of runs that will be made by the 2 two combined in the game.
These bets are placed on the total numbers of score runs that will be scored by the two teams in the game.
The sports bookie will set a line with a half point added, called the hook.
The
hook
ensures that every bet accepted will fall on one side of the line; mostly a
(.5)
is added to achieve this. There will be no draws.
Totals, or over/under, bets are another type of wagers that sports punters place on baseball games.
An MLB total betting permits you to wager on the aggregate number of runs that will be scored by both baseball teams in a baseball game.
These bets are wagered on the total number of runs that will be scored by both teams in a game.
The sports bookie will set a line with a hook.
The
hook
eliminates a push or draw scenario by making sure that no bet is returned; most times a
(.5)
is included to the set number.
For example:
The Over/under odds put at 3.5 for a game between the Red Sox and White Sox. If the total runs for the game is four or more, and you bet on over 3.5, you win your bet. But if its three or less, the game went “under” The set line and your bet is lost
In another scenario
Let’s assume the
Cubs
are playing the
Red sox.
Totals bet odds would appear like this:
Over 5.5 Under 5.5
In this example, the total is set at 5.5. If you think the total number of runs by both teams will amount to 6 or more, you would bet the
OVER 5.5. If you think it will be 5 or less, you would bet the
UNDER 5.5.
Or
Let’s say that the
over-under
line for a baseball game
is seven runs
and you bet the over. If the final score is 6-4, you’d win your bet, because the total number of runs scored was ten. It does not matter which team scores the runs. If the final score were 9-0, you would still win your over bet. If the final score were 5-2, you would
push
your bet and get your money back because there were
seven total runs.
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First Five Innings Betting
A good baseball betting strategy should involve looking at the line-up. In
Major League Baseball, if a team has a terrible line-up, you only need to worry about the active starting pitcher for five innings for this type of bet. Instead of wagering on the game’s outright outcome, you can bet on the first five innings of a ball game. Generally called F5 bets among sports bookies, this is like a
moneyline bet
except you’re only betting on the first five innings of the game. If you’re only placing
handicaps
on the starting pitchers, then there’s less risk vs handicapping the entire game.
A good baseball betting strategy should involve looking at the line-up
You can make future wagers on just about anything
Major League Baseball Futures
As the name suggests, these are bets made on things that happen in the future. Due to the level of uncertainty, they typically pay out very well when placed early. Futures bets are bets placed on future events in the Baseball season. Most times, they are placed long before the start of the season or just before the start of the season.
Examples of future events to wager on includes
- CY Young award winner
- Seasons MVP
- Home-run leader
There are so many options available when it comes to future odds that you can make future wagers on just about anything.
Major League Baseball Prop Bets.
Prop betting allows bet on precise and exact occurrences, mostly during the playoffs.
Examples of
prop bets
to make are
- Number of strikeouts by a player?
- The longest home run hit by a player
- Number of bases a player will steal?
- Number of home runs in a game by one player?
Baseball Parlays
Parlays can actually be a baseball punter’s best friend or worst enemy. Witht the Paraly bet, you can combine two or more wager on just one ticket. The example of bets that can be combined includes (totals, runline, moneylines, and point spreads.). Thus, there is the potential to make much more money than you would normally make on a single wager.
Best Baseball Betting Strategy?
The best betting strategies to use in baseball betting all depends on you and your brilliant knowledge of the league, teams, playing strength, winning statistics and so on. Sometimes tipsters do the trick for you. So try to read up on experienced tipsters’ analysis before games.
Which bookmakers offer the Best MLB Betting Deals?
While there are lots of decent MLB sportsbooks out there, some are definitely better than others. While you can always go to our
sports betting comparison page
to research good all-rounders for all forms of betting, we thought it would be helpful to pinpoint those sportsbooks who can be relied upon to serve up nothing but competitive MLB odds. So read our mini-reviews below to see the best places for MLB betting:
Fanduel: Smooth sailing
Fanduel offers a solid MLB product with a wide range of baseball markets, covering major league games comprehensively.
Pros & Cons
- User-friendly interface
- Large range of betting options and ongoing promotions
- Comprehensive live streaming
- Not available in all states
Fanduel is a popular choice among MLB enthusiasts due to its competitive odds and 24/7 customer service.
Caesars: All roads lead to Caesars
Caesars boasts an extensive selection of baseball markets, catering to both casual bettors and seasoned enthusiasts. Their MLB product offers diverse betting options, including live betting and futures, providing flexibility for users.
Pros & Cons
- Seamless integration with the loyalty programme
- Generous first bet insurance
- Competitive odds
- Some new users may feel overwhelmed by the user interface
Caesars offers a robust security platform and fast payment. It also has more than 80 years' of gaming entertainment experience.
DraftKings: Dive into DraftKings' MLB experience
DraftKings stands out for its innovative MLB product, featuring an array of sports markets and unique betting options. Their platform offers live streaming of select MLB games, enhancing the overall betting experience.
Pros & Cons
- Extensive range of player props and in-game betting
- Excellent customer service
- Live streaming of select MLB games
DraftKings remains a favorite among MLB fans due to its generous promotions and daily fantasy integration, excellent mobile app, offering a comprehensive platform for baseballs aficionados.
BetMGM: Your ticket to MLB excitement
BetMGM delivers a comprehensive MLB product with a wide range of baseball markets, covering major league games extensively. Their platform offers competitive odds and attractive bonuses, and live streaming of MGM games.
Pros & Cons
- Intuitive interface for seamless navigation
- More than 20 sports markets available
- Live streaming
- Occasionally withdrawals can be slow
A notable pro of BetMGM is its intuitive interface, making it easy for users to navigate and place bets on MLB events.
BetRivers: Ride the waves
BetRivers offers a solid MLB product with a focus on providing competitive odds and a wide range of sports, too. The platform features live betting options and comprehensive coverage of major league games, catering to both casual bettors and seasoned enthusiasts.
Pros & Cons
- Live betting
- Reputable platform and one of the most popular in the US
- Easy to use interface great for newcomers
- Lower welcome bonus than competitors
One of the major pros of BetRivers is its simplicity, with a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to find and bet on MLB events.
Second chance bet: Get up to $500 in Bonus Bets
BetRivers.com Highlights
- High-quality live betting options
- Range of sports available
- Excellent usability
Betting on MLB US 2024
FAQ
⚾How do I bet on MLB in the US?
Betting on MLB in the US is exciting and a variety of bookmakers offer this service. You’ll be able to bet on all the biggest games of the year. Added to which, you’ll be able to follow all of these games as they happen and place in-play bets. Betting on sport has never been easier. To find out how to go about betting on MLB online in the US, visit
CaptainGambling.com.
💡What are the best sites for betting on MLB in the US?
There are a number of bookmakers who cover MLB in the US. Here, you’ll be able to follow all the latest developments and place a number of different bets on MLB. The best betting sites for MLB will offer real-time updates and allow you to cash out early. To find out which betting sites are best for MLB, take a look at our coverage of MLB betting at CaptainGambling.com.
🎁What are the bonuses for MLB betting?
In addition to covering a range of betting markets, the top bookmakers will offer bonus bets that can be used to bet on MLB games. These bonus offers will vary in nature and magnitude. However, each bonus will allow you to delve further into the enthralling world of MLB betting. Find all the latest bonus offers by visiting CaptainGambling.com. We provide an extensive list of the
best online bonuses.
What does it look like Betting on the MLB?
Baseball punters with experience and a good betting career try to master one or two markets. It’s now up to you to put all of it together and put in the hard work necessary to take you from a novice amateur punter to an expert in MLB betting.
The key to long term profitability is in focusing and specializing.
Discover which MLB betting markets you're consistently able to identify value in and stick to them.
