If you don’t understand odds or how wagering on MLB works, don’t be dettered. Our beginners
guide to MLB betting can help. The process has been simplified in this guide, so let’s begin.
There are several reasons why you should bet on the MLB, the first one is that it is a profitable
sports and the second is that it offers multiple betting opportunities.
The MLB is the most prominent baseball contest in the world, consisting of 30 teams playing
4,860 games every season across the United States and Canada.
Now, if you have already been betting on this sport, then you may have some understanding of
how it works, so this guide will be more like a refresher. However, if you are a new MLB bettor
it will help you get started.
What is MLB?
The Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organisation and the world’s oldest
major professional sports.
MLB is one of the four major sports league in the USA and currently consists of 30 teams that
play it – 15 teams in the National League and 15 in the American League, split 29 in the United
States and 1 in Canada.
Types of MLB Bets
MLB betting offers several types of bets, bettors like you can use to wager on this sports.
Understanding these odds, won’t just help make better bets for a higher profit, but it will also
expand your knowledge of each game.
We have listed out and explained the different types of MLB bets below:
- Moneyline
A Moneyline bet is the simplest MLB bet you can place, because it requires you to just predict
which team will win a game. Moneyline odds are accompanied by a plus or minus sign beside a
number.
A minus sign indicates a favourite or stronger team – a -150 favourite means you will bet $150 to
win $100. Odds for favourites are less risky and have lower payouts.
A plus sign shows an underdog or weaker team – a +130 odds on underdogs means you bet $100
to win $130 dollars. Odds for underdogs are riskier and have higher payouts. - Run Line
Run Line AKA point spread or handicap betting, permits you to bet on two outcomes which is if
a favourite will win by more than a run or if the underdog will stay in the game within a run.
If the favourite’s runline is -1.5 and the underdogs have +1.5, and you bet on the favourites, then
they’ll have to win the game by two runs or more. If you bet on the underdogs then they can win
the game or lose by one run.
Run Line betting is for when you want a high payoff betting on the stronger team or also win
even when the underdog loses by a run. - Totals
Totals or Over/Under considers the number of runs that will be scored in an MLB game.
Oddsmakers offer a number at the beginning and you bet on whether they’ll be more runs or less.
There is usually a “total line” of -110 or -125 which serves as a moneyline for this bet. With
odds of -110, you bet $110 to win $100. - First 5 Innings Line
For First 5 innings line, you bet on the “First 5” line, wagering only on the outcome of a game’s
first five innings.
You use this bet when you want to separate a starting pitching matchup or want to avoid
bullpens. Bets on a first five innings can either tie or “push”. If this happens you’ll be refunded. - Futures
Futures are bets made on a long-term outcome and payouts are made based on if you made the
right prediction.
You place a futures on a team you think will win World series or a division or player that’ll win
MVP. Futures can be placed at any time in a season, as the odds change. - Parlays
Parlays pose higher risks and are made for bigger payouts. Here, you place two bets – a team
winning a game outrightly or losing by some points. Your payout increases if both outcomes
happen.
- Live Betting
Live Betting can be done during an ongoing game, and you can bet on any portion of the match.
The odds change at any minute of the game, so you can place any type of MLB bet for a chance
at a payout. - Player/Game Prop Bets
Props or Propsition bets can go two ways – you either bet on a player prop which is a player’s
performance during the game (assists, runs etc) or game prop, team performance (which team
wins the game, total runs, first to score, etc).
How MLB Odds are decided
MLB odds are decided after taking into consideration several factors in a game’s matchups.
These include things like current statistics, team’s recent form, historical numbers, and
professional analysis.
Next, using the latest algorithms and MLB power rankings – a combination of different team’s
perfomance in various categories, the data is then used to generate odds.
For instance, -150 (50 -70%) for the favourites and +130 (30 -50%) for the underdogs.
MLB Betting Tips And Strategies
As a new bettor, you should know that a lot of strategy goes into a game’s result and every part
of this strategy can be bet on. Understanding MLB betting strategies is one thing that makes
wagering on this sports worthwhile and makes it fun.
Yes, this might be difficult at first, but playing the long game by sticking to these hacks, shapes
you as a bettor, increases your profits and also makes you appreciate the game more.
On that note, these are some MLB betting tips and strategies to add to your Arsenal, and things
to look out for as well.
- Monitor The Lineups
Monitoring the lineups before placing your bets is good because you could get crucial
information like which star players got the day off and ensure that the best players in a team will
be playing in a game, especially on a Thursday or Sunday which are off days for some players. - Starting Pitchers
The starting pitchers are the most vital game factors that impact MLB betting lines. If a talented
starting pitcher is scheduled for kick off, it greatly impacts the chance of a team winning and it
lowers the expected runs scored for the game.
Watch how a starting pitcher has been pitching lately, if they have lost games where they pitched
well or if they have a good strikeout-to-walk ration even with surrendered fluke hits. - Streaks
Streaks in MLB lasts longer than it does in other sports, this is because the league baseball
players, play everyday from April to early October and get only 10-15 days off. - Watch The Umpire
In MLB sports betting, always handicap the umpire as they can impact the outcome of a game. If
an umpire is known for tight strike zones and you bet on a pitcher who plays best in large outside
corners, then the umpire may foil your chances. - Find The Best Lines
Betting with multiple accounts on various books, helps you find the best lines in multiple
sportsbooks. - Injury Report
Knowing what the injury report is, keeps you apprised of which key players are on the shelf,
when they are returning from an injury and how long it’ll take to get back in form. So that you
adjust your bets accordingly. - Parity
Parity doesn’t always entail end-of-season ranking or a team’s ability to win championships.
Although the MLB is notorious for having the same teams emerge top contenders yearly,
anything is possible in this sports. Skill plays a huge role in event outcomes, but luck determines
most game outcomes. - Volume Betting
A key factor in long-term successful MLB betting is being meticulous and picking your plays
based on the most valuable games of the day. But, baseball is also a sports where volume betting
can brings increased profits, so, give it a try.
- Keep Your Strategy In Perspective
Strategy is what gets you far in winning bets. Statistics helps you make more informed bets, but
anything can happen in MLB like an unexpected star pitcher injury or a game being decided by a
weakest blooper.
These things are the reason for narrow win/loss margin in baseball, and most teams whether
good or bad never make most of their win percentage. Don’t take a losing streak personally or
get discouraged.
Being tempted to increase the size or frequency of your bets because you’re frustrated,
guarantees a loss on betting lines. - Manage Your Bankroll Strategy
When managing your bankroll, stick to the bankroll strategy. Pick a set system of betting and
don’t go against it win or lose, so that you get the most out of wagering on MLB.
It is advisable that you select a unit size and stay with it – this is you not spending more than 1-
5% of your bankroll on one bet. Limit a single bet to between 1-2% of your bankroll.
