If baseball is America’s summer pastime, then betting on MLB could well become America’s newest summer hobby. With 2,430 regular-season games, plus playoffs, MLB offers more betting opportunities than any sports league in the US, which means more opportunities to win! Luckily for you, our team here at Bet Basics has put together this simple five-step guide to help you cash in when wagering on MLB.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Baseball, almost more than any other sport, has no shortage of stats, analytics and data available to help inform your betting decisions. While not everyone has the time to breakdown spreadsheets of information ‘Moneyball’ style, having at least some idea of what you’re about to wager your hard-earned cash on will help improve your chances of winning. Here’s a few basics to out look for:
- Check recent results to get an overview of each team’s win/loss record, where they’re placed in the standings, what the scores have been in their recent outings and how they’ve previously matched up against their opponents.
- Check the starting pitchers to know who is taking the mound for each team. Teams rotate through pitchers on a nightly basis in MLB and this can have a major impact on the outcome of the game.
- Check which ball park the game is at to understand how this might impact the scoring. The different dimensions of ball parks around the MLB effects the number of runs scored and may favour certain teams based on their playing style
- Check out our Bet Basics expert picks and predictions for the MLB. Let us be the ones who go deep into the MLB research well to breakdown the different stats and data so you don’t have to! Our experts provide informed analysis to help you place winning bets.
For a more extensive and detailed list of helpful tips and strategies for placing a winning bet MLB, click here.
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF BET YOU WANT TO MAKE
Now you’ve got the basics figured out, it’s time decide on what type of bet you want to place. Here’s are a few of the most popular choices for MLB betting (click the links below for more info on each bet type):
Moneyline - It’s as easy as choosing the team that you think will win!
Spread - Also sometimes referred to as the ‘runline’, the sportsbook applies a run handicap to level the playing field between the favorite and underdog.
Totals - Bet over or under the combined total number of runs the sportsbook anticipates will be scored by both teams.
Props - Bet on certain aspects within the game, such as whether a home run will be hit or the number of strikeouts there will be
Live Betting - Bet in real time while the game is already underway.
Parlay - Combine multiple picks from separate games on the one bet slip.
Futures - Bet before or during the season in advance of an event taking place, such as choosing the winner of the World Series.
Knowing how to read the different types of odd for each of these bet types is an important piece of the puzzle for betting on MLB. Thankfully, the team here at Bet Basics have got you covered with our detailed guide on how to read and interpret MLB betting odds.
SIGN-UP WITH MULTIPLE SPORTSBOOKS TO FIND THE BEST ODDS
Once you understand what different odds look like, it’s worth signing up with multiple sportsbooks so that you have the opportunity to shop around and find the best value for your chosen MLB bet. We recommend starting with our Bet Basics list of 100% licensed and regulated legal sportsbooks.
While the odds differences between bookmakers might not seem like much, consistently finding the best odds will result in a bigger return on your winning bets and help you maximise your profits in the long run.
Many sportsbooks will also offer special promotions on MLB games such as bonus bets, bet matches and odds boosts. If you like free stuff (like any sane person), then these are a great way to help give your bankroll a boost! Make the most of our Bet Basics exclusive bonuses and promotions by with sportsbooks such as BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, 888sport and Bet365.
ESTABLISH A BANKROLL AND STAY WITHIN IT
The key to responsibly betting on MLB while maximising your fun and profits, is to set yourself a budget and stick with it. The sheer number of MLB games can make it tempting to chase losses, but this is a sure fire way lose even more money in rapid time.
The best strategy is to stick with the bets your most confident in and stake your wagers on those bets accordingly. Most sportsbooks allow you to set a deposit limit on your account which helps you do this.
HAVE FUN WITH IT!
At the end of the day, the main reason for betting on MLB games is to enjoy yourself! Having a wager on a game helps increase your excitement levels as a fan and also gives you the chance to make a bit of extra money. What’s not to like about that!?