How to Bet on MLB
Major League Baseball is excellent for online sports bettors since there are so many games daily. That means more chances to make a profit, but you should also put the work in and learn the craft so you can maximize your value. One of the best ways to get started is to explore MLB betting sites, which offer a variety of betting options and valuable resources to help you make informed decisions. Here are four ways to dive into the world of baseball betting using MLB betting sites:
What are MLB Moneylines?
When it comes to moneylines, all you’re doing is betting on who will win or lose the game. In baseball, the biggest factor for the odds is the starting pitcher, so do your research on those players. The favorite for the matchup is always going to have a negative sign in front of the odds, so the Toronto Blue Jays could be favored over the New York Yankees at home. Toronto might come in at -155, and what this means is that you would win $100 by betting $155 on the Blue Jays. On the other hand, the underdog will have a positive sign in front of the odds, so the Yankees might be rated at +145. This means you would bet $100 to win $145.
What are MLB Spreads?
Run lines are the baseball betting version of spread betting, which is hugely popular with the NFL and NBA. Stay with the teams used above, and an example of run-line betting would look something like this:
Toronto -1.5 +130, New York +1.5, -170. With this betting line, Toronto is an underdog to win by more than a run. You would win $130 off a bet of $100 if Toronto won by 2 or more runs. On the other hand, New York is considered the favorite at -170 to win outright or lose by one run.
Although run lines are a far less popular choice of betting compared to moneylines, it is useful in certain situations. For example, let’s say one of the better teams in the league is at home with their ace on the mound, hosting a weak team. You might have to lay around -300 on the moneyline. That’s an expensive price, but if you want to buy at a lower line, you can lay the -1.5. They are expected to dominate anyways, so winning by an extra run could work out.
Run lines are the baseball betting version of spread betting, which is hugely popular with the NFL and NBA. Stay with the teams used above, and an example of run-line betting would look something like this:
Toronto -1.5 +130, New York +1.5, -170. With this betting line, Toronto is an underdog to win by more than a run. You would win $130 off a bet of $100 if Toronto won by 2 or more runs. On the other hand, New York is considered the favorite at -170 to win outright or lose by one run.
Although run lines are a far less popular choice of betting compared to moneylines, it is useful in certain situations. For example, let’s say one of the better teams in the league is at home with their ace on the mound, hosting a weak team. You might have to lay around -300 on the moneyline. That’s an expensive price, but if you want to buy at a lower line, you can lay the -1.5. They are expected to dominate anyways, so winning by an extra run could work out.
What are MLB Totals?
Totals or Over Under betting is when you bet on how many runs will be scored in a game. Specifically, if the actual total will come in over or under the set total. Toronto and New York might have a total set at 7.5, so you would be betting on whether the total goes over or under that number.
Most totals in baseball range from about 7-11 runs. A seven-run total suggest that it could be a low-scoring pitcher’s duel where as a total of 11 or 12 would suggest a potential slugfest.
What are MLB Futures?
Finally, you have the futures bets where you are betting on things that will happen later in the season. For example, you can bet on who you think will win the World Series, along with the American League and National League pennants and the divisions as well. You can also bet on player props like the Cy Young award for each league, as well as the Most Valuable Player.
The key here is that it’s a risky proposition as a lot can happen over this period of time – a trade, an injury, a coaching change. But you are locking your money in early for a long period of time, so you’ll get a bigger payout.