MLB Betting Guide
Betting on MLB Games Online
Wagering on MLB online is now easier than ever at the best MLB betting sites. Creating your account and depositing money can be done in minutes. From there, it’s simple to hop on and make the baseball bets you want.
Why Are These the Best MLB Betting Sites?
Our experts do in-depth reviews of these MLB betting sites so you don’t have to. Here are the criteria we use to judge the best real money MLB betting sites:
Reputability and Trustworthiness
Safety and Security Protocols
Real Money Bonuses and Promotions
Variety of Baseball Odds
Speed of Payout Winnings
Helpfulness of Customer Support
Free MLB Picks and Baseball Betting Resources
We have tons of MLB betting resources to help you make informed picks and maximize your chances at winning real money. Our free MLB picks are a great place to start. Here, our MLB experts analyze MLB stats, past performances, news, injuries, player trades, and more to give you the best betting picks.
Free MLB PicksIf you fancy delving deeper, doing your own research, and making your own MLB betting strategies, we’ve compiled a whole list of other MLB resources:
- MLB Betting Blogs
- MLB Betting News
- Parlay of the Day Series
- Latest World Series Odds
- Top 5 MLB Underdogs of 2021
- How to Pick the Best MLB Daily Fantasy Roster
- How Much Does Pitching Matter for MLB Bets?
- Find Value in MLB Underdogs – 5 Keys
- 4 Baseball Betting Strategies
- Understanding Betting Value
It takes time to become a successful MLB bettor. But with these resources and some dedication, you can go a long way to increasing your odds.
How Do Baseball Betting Odds Work?
If this is your first time betting on the MLB, it’s important to know how betting odds work.
The simplest kind of baseball wager is a moneyline bet. This is essentially picking a team to win each game outright, and is a good to way to illustrate how odds work:
The minus sign (-) indicates how much you would have to wager to make $100. This value is given to the sportsbook favorite, in this case the Dodgers. With these odds, if you bet $200 on the Dodgers you would be paid $300 on a winning bet. This is because you would get back your original $200 bet plus $100 winnings.
The plus sign (+), meanwhile, is given to the underdog, in this case the Pirates. The (-) indicates how much additional money you would make when placing a $100 wager. If you put $100 on the Pirates here, you would win a total payout of $270, getting back your original $100 plus $170 in winnings.
The payout for the favorite is not as lucrative, because the likelihood of the favorite winning is higher. However, if the underdog pulls off an upset, the payout will be much better because the odds were stacked against them.
MLB Betting Odds
MLB odds are usually listed in “American Style” betting odds, which are the most common type. If you don’t know how to read betting odds, or just want to understand them better, you should visit the Sports Betting Odds page.
Online Sportsbooks offer odds on MLB games to bet on, just like a Las Vegas sportsbook. You will be able to bet on individual MLB games, and will also be offered odds for things like prop betting or futures betting (including who will win the World Series).
If you are betting on MLB, you want to make sure you have our Sports Picks Blog bookmarked. We will often have game write-ups for big MLB games (most common during the MLB playoffs) which will help you with your betting. This will include game previews, betting odds and betting picks from our expert MLB handicappers.
For those interested in betting on which team will win the American League Championship, the National League Championship or the World Series for the current or upcoming MLB season, we have write-ups for a lot of the teams. These write-ups include the betting odds for the outright winners, and we’ll show you where to place your bets.
Popular Types of MLB Bets
There are loads of betting-types available in the MLB. Here is a rundown of how each betting type works:
Moneylines
Moneyline bets are by far the most popular type of MLB wager. All you have to do is pick which team you believe will win the game.
For instance, you may see a moneyline bet that looks like this:
In this example, the LA Dodgers (-200) are the favorites, while the Pittsburgh Pirates (+170) are underdogs. The odds themselves tell you how much you can win by wagering on each team. If you wanted to wager on the Dodgers, you would make an additional $50 on a winning $100 bet. Meanwhile, if you wager $100 on the Pirates, you could win $170.
You can find some great MLB moneylines at BetOnline.
Run Line
Run lines are another popular MLB bet. These wagers are the baseball version of point spread wagers. Run lines give bettors the option to wager on the winning margin of the game.
Using the Dodgers and Pirates example, here is what a run line might look like.
Instead of covering a point spread, each team will have to cover their respective run lines. In this example, the Dodgers would have to win the game by two or more runs to cover their run line. Pittsburgh would have to either win the game or not lose by two or more runs.
The run line carries more risk than the typical moneyline. You can predict the winner correctly and still lose if they do not cover the run line. This added layer of risk can make run line bets very exciting!
If you want amazing MLB run line odds, make sure to check out EveryGame.
Dime Lines
10-cent bets, or “Dime Lines”, are one of the most unique baseball bets you will come across. These wagers offer players a 10-cent difference between the underdog and the favorite. For example, if the favorite is listed at -120, then the underdog would be listed at +110.
Dime Lines are a great way to add value to your bets. Generally speaking, the odds for both teams become more favorable for bettors. You may also see these bets in the 15-cent and 20-cent varieties.
There are some fantastic MLB dime line betting opportunities available at BetUS.
Futures
Futures bets are wagers placed on the eventual outcomes of competitions or events that are weeks or even months aways.
Examples of futures include who wins the season MVP, or which team wins a specific division, and so on. Many betting sites offer future odds throughout the season. Even in the off-season, you can find favorable betting opportunities for the season ahead. Making an early pre-season bet on an underdog who then goes on to win a division and enter the playoffs in October can lead to big rewards.
Bovada is a great option for placing MLB futures.
Totals: Over/Under
Totals bets, also known as Over/Unders, are another popular baseball gambling option. Here, you attempt to guess the final combined score of the game. More specifically, you wager on whether the total score will be over or under the given amount.
Here is one example:
In this scenario, the oddsmakers have set the final score at 7.5 total points. There are no half-points in the MLB, so we know the score will be either over or under this amount. Your job is to pick which one it will be.
You can also find total bets for more than just the final score of games. Many oddsmakers offer bets on win totals, home runs, and more.
Check out MyBookie for lots of MLB totals odds and lines.
Five Innings Wagers
Baseball can be a long game. Luckily, there are betting options that you can cash before the game is over. One such option is to make five-inning wagers. These bets are often listed as F5 odds.
F5 wagers are often the same types of bets you would normally make. However, the key difference is that F5 bets only apply to the first five innings of the game. Examples of five-innings wagers include the score of the game, which team is leading, and the run line.
Parlays
One of the riskiest wagers you can make are parlay bets. These special bets combine multiple wagers into one. For instance, you can bet on the moneyline of multiple games with one bet.
The appeal of parlay bets is also their biggest risk. Every part of the wager must be correct for you to win. As a result, the odds and potential payout are a lot higher than most other baseball betting options.
Prop Bets
Prop bets are another popular option. These wagers cover a wide range of topics that occur within and around a game, including:
First team to reach 3 runs in the game
Will there be a run scored in the first inning?
Total hits for both teams combined
Runs and errors for both teams combined
Team to score first in the game
As you can see, there are loads of different and varied wagers. Many MLB betting sites offer a prop bet builder for members to use. This allows you to create the perfect prop bets for every game.
Live Baseball Betting and In-Game Wagers
Land-based sportsLand-based sportsbooks were the only option for legal MLB betting for decades. Now, MLB bettors can access betting sites online and on mobile devices. This increased availability has led to an entirely new type of betting.
Live bets, also known as in-play betting, allow you to place in-game MLB bets as the action unfolds.
You will need to be quick, as odds will fluctuate and wagers may only be open for a few minutes. However, if you know your baseball, this can pose a fun and engaging challenge, presenting many more opportunities to make extra money throughout the game.
Live MLB bets provide plenty of opportunities to make valuable bets throughout a game as odds and lines change. This is a great way to stay engaged for all nine innings, but it does require you to keep a keen eye.
MLB Baseball Betting Strategies and Useful Tips
Here are some strategies and tips you can employ when using top-rated MLB sportsbooks. These simple principles are your ticket to increased winnings and a fatter bankroll:
- Check the Weather: Weather conditions can have a big effect on the game. When the wind is blowing in, it can increase the underdog’s chances. If the wind is blowing out, it might be best to stick with the favorite!
- Know the Team Schedule: Baseball seasons are long affairs. Even players from the best teams can tire out or lose concentration. If you see a team has played lots of recent games a long way from home, it can be a good idea to bet against them.
- Know the Umpires: Some umpires call more strikes than others. If an umpire is known for giving pitchers more leeway, then it makes sense to bet on a team with a star pitcher.
- Research the Ballparks: Some ballparks are statistically better for pitchers, and others for batters. If you know a ballpark is batter-friendly, it makes more sense to bet on the team with the best offense. Vice versa for a pitcher-friendly ballpark.
Most Common MLB Betting Mistakes
We all mess up sometimes, and MLB gambling is no exception. But by keeping in mind these common mistakes, you can help avoid making them yourself.
Always be sure to know who is playing on each team during the game or event. The team lineup can have a huge impact on the outcome of any given game. Keep track of the key members and their performance throughout the season.
The worst thing you could do when betting on the MLB is getting in over your head due to accruing massive losses. Set up a budget for yourself with an amount of money you would have no problem losing should things go south for you. This way, you can minimize your losses and not allow an upsetting loss to affect your future decision making abilities.
There are more baseball games in a season compared to many other sports. As a result, favorites can lose upwards of a third of their total games during the course of a season. This can create the conditions for upsets to occur. It is advised to not always bet on the favorites. There are more opportunities for things to go wrong. Baseball is one of those sports where we recommend taking underdogs as a betting consideration due to the likelihood of them winning more often.
4 Reasons to Use Real Money Baseball Betting Sites
There are loads of land-based sportsbooks, but there are many advantages to going online for baseball bets. Here are our top four reasons why we prefer baseball betting online:
1. Real Money Bonuses
Betting sites offer a plethora of welcome bonuses, deposit matches, account reloads, and rebates. These can greatly increase the value of your MLB wagers over the money you have deposited. Most bonuses are available to casual and hardened bettors alike.
Land-based sportsbooks don’t provide bonuses, except for maybe a few freebies to those spending seriously high money.
2. More Accessibility
With the top MLB betting sites, you can place MLB wagers 24/7 from your own home or mobile device. If one site doesn’t have the odds and lines you want, you can quickly hop onto another site to find them.
This is far more convenient than driving to a sportsbook to place bets, and being stuck with that sportsbook’s odds and lines.
3. Props Builders
The best MLB betting sites have great prop builder features. These allow you to create your own fun propositional bets that greatly increase the number of MLB betting opportunities.
This gives you access to many more betting types than you would find in a brick-and-mortar sportsbook.
4. Live Betting or In-Game Betting
The best online MLB sportsbooks all feature live bets. This allows you to place wagers throughout the course of a game or event, as odds and lines change in your favor. This makes for an exciting, engaging and potentially valuable viewing experience.
Some land-based sportsbooks provide basic live betting opportunities. But by the time you’ve lined up to place your bet, you might find the odds have changed again.
Common Questions About Betting on MLB Games
You now have plenty of information, recommendations, tips, and tricks to help you bet on Major League Baseball. You can always back to this page, and any of our other resources, when you need a refresher.
Here are a few frequently asked questions from online MLB bettors:
There are several popular types of baseball bets to take advantage of. The most common and popular MLB bets are moneylines. Totals, run lines and futures are also very popular and easy to find on the best baseball betting sites.
A run line bet is similar to the point spread wagers you see in other sports. You are betting on a team to exceed the sportsbook’s run line prediction.
For instance, you may see a team listed as -1.5 in a run line bet. This means the team will have to win by at least two runs in order to cover their run line bet. Similarly, the underdog would either have to win the game outright or only lose by one to cover their +1.5 run line wager.
The registration process for the best MLB sportsbooks is straightforward:
- Find and click on the “Join Now” or “Sign Up” button.
- Enter your personal information, such as your name and home address.
- Select a username and password.
- Some betting sites require you to verify your ID at this stage. Others just need you to verify your email.
- Select your chosen banking method, deposit money, and play.
Yes! Not only can you join more than one MLB betting site, it is encouraged. Using more than one betting site allows you to compare MLB betting odds and lines. Shopping around for the most competitive odds is an important part of a winning MLB betting strategy.
All of our top recommended online MLB sportsbooks accept players from most, if not all, US states.
However, specific sportsbooks available can change depending on where you are betting from. Some betting sites are restricted to specific countries or states.
Yes, you can win money by making smart bets, employing betting strategy, and of course plain old luck. Online sportsbooks also offer bonuses that can increase the value of your bets over what you have deposited.
That said, a winning bet is never guaranteed, or else it wouldn’t be betting! The possibility of winning or losing is what makes MLB betting exciting. Just remember, betting is not a replacement for a steady income.
Yes, live betting is available at all the best MLB sportsbooks. Oddsmakers adjust the betting odds as the game goes along. This will make it harder to win money off the team that is currently winning. On the other hand, it could also lead to a huge payday if you correctly predict a major comeback.
