There are many ways to bet on baseball, and each have certain advantages and disadvantages and appeal to different people. The most popular bet by far is the moneyline bet, where you simply pick the. The Major League Baseball (MLB) Futures market is available on a 12-month basis and the future odds are normally updated on a weekly basis at betting shops in Las Vegas and globally in the United.

In baseball, bettors must place a wager on the moneyline for either the favorite or underdog.

A parlay is a wager that combines several teams into one bet. Baseball parlays are figured at true odds. Simply calculate the payout on the first game and then apply that amount to the next game, etc. Baseball is widely known as America’s pastime and has been a part of the U.S culture for more than 100 years. While the viewership of MLB is quite high, when compared to other professional sports in the United States, betting on the MLB is not nearly as popular. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ample betting opportunities available in baseball.

How to Bet On Sports > How to Bet on Baseball

“One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something.” – Nolan Ryan

Introduction

In this article, we will be explaining the ins and outs of how to bet on baseball. Topics will include wager types, baseball betting terminology, and a guide on which sportsbooks to utilize to make the most of your wagers. By combining this knowledge with the information provided by our live odds product and proven betting systems, you will see how easy it is to become a winning baseball bettor.

Moneylines

“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.” – Yogi Berra

There are many ways to bet on baseball, and each have certain advantages and disadvantages and appeal to different people. The most popular bet by far is the moneylinebet, where you simply pick the winner of the game. The following is an example of a moneyline bet:

Since some teams are much better than others, the odds on a moneyline bet can vary drastically; for instance, you may have to lay -300 odds (meaning you would have to bet $300 to win $100) if betting the moneyline on a big favorite. On the other hand, you may be given large odds in your favor if you back a significant underdog because you would be taking a big risk. Historically, the public tends to bet mostly favorites throughout the baseball season.

5-Inning Lines

“Life will always throw you curves, just keep fouling them off…the right pitch will come, but when it does, be prepared to run the bases.” – Rick Maksian

A 5-Inning line is a moneyline that uses the score after five innings to determine the winner, rather than the final score. It is similar to betting on the first half of a football or basketball game. Odds on a 5-inning line will usually be very similar to the regular moneyline odds; however, due to the shortened nature of the bet, the starting pitcher match-up is weighted more heavily and may sway the odds one way or the other.

Totals

The second most popular bet is betting the total, also known as over/under wagering. When betting baseball totals, you are wagering whether a games total score (home team plus away team) will be over or under a predetermined amount of runs, as set by the sportsbook. For instance, you might see a line that looks like this:

This lines stipulates that you can risk $110 to win $100 by choosing if the game will have 10 or more runs scored (over), or 9 or less runs scored (under). Sometimes the odds may be adjusted by the book if they are trying to balance their ledger by encouraging wagers on one side or another. This does not necessarily mean that one bet is more likely to win out over another, and oftentimes can present good value opportunity when used in conjunction with our betting systems and “bet against the public” philosophy.

Runlines

Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. That’s the way life is, with a new game every day, and that’s the way baseball is.” – Bob Feller

A runline is very similar to a spread bet in football or basketball, except in baseball the runline is almost always -1.5 or -2.5, meaning the favorite must win by either 2 or 3 to cover. A typical runline wager will look like this:

A runline is offered by sportsbooks to provide a wager with odds closer to 1:1, allowing bettors to avoid the higher odds often found in moneyline wagering. In the above example, the Yankees have a moneyline of -150, meaning you have to wager $150 to win $100, but a runline of -1.5 with -110 odds, meaning that you need only risk $110 to win $100, although the team must by win by at least 2 runs. It would then be your decision as to which bet you feel more comfortable with; if you feel strongly that the favorite will win by at least 2, then the runline offers a good opportunity to increase your payout by laying the runline rather than taking the moneyline with worse odds.

Alternate Runlines

“The best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until the ball stops rolling and then pick it up.” – Bob Uecker

An alternate runline wager is a runline that has been flipped, making the favorite an underdog and the underdog the favorite. The following as an example, showing the runline followed by the alternate runline:

Alternative runlines can be a great wagering option in certain scenarios, allowing you to increase your payout when you feel strongly about an underdog or marginalize your risk when backing a favorite. As an example, if you believe the underdog is significantly better than the favorite, you can increase your payout even further by actually turning the underdog into the favorite (in the above example, laying -1.5 on the Red Sox to get +220 instead of +100 on the +1.5 runline).

Futures and Season Wins

“The season starts too early and finishes too late and there are too many games in between.” – Bill Veeck

The final method to bet on baseball is by betting on futures or season wins. These options are somewhat popular before the season starts, but do not get a lot of action because of the long-term nature of the bet, strict betting limits, and the significant odds usually associated with these bets. Futures involve betting on a team to accomplish certain goals in the upcoming season, such as winning their division, their league’s pennant, or the World Series. The odds increase based on how unlikely the event is to occur, to such a degree that a team thought to be terrible in the preseason may receive 200 to 1 odds to win the World Series. Betting on Season Wins is very similar to betting totals, except in this case you would be taking the over or under on total wins for a baseball club in the upcoming season, with odds being roughly around the standard -110, adjusted to the sportsbooks liking.

Strategies for Choosing your Sportsbooks

“Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” – Frederick B. Wilcox

A running theme at SportsInsights is that “all sportsbooks are not created equal”, and that proverb holds true in baseball. One of the most important things to be aware of when placing a moneyline bet is if the sportsbook offers “dimeline” odds. Dimeline odds ensures that the odds on the favorite and the ‘dog will always be separated by 10 cents on the dollar, hence the term “dimeline”. For instance, if a favorite is given -150 odds, then the underdog will have a line of +140, a 10 cent difference.

Dimelines are great because they ensure that a sportsbook can’t over-shade a favorite, or else they risk exposing themselves to very large underdog lines on the back side. Some sportsbooks offer 15 or 20 cent odds, hoping their members are either unaware of dimeline sportsbooks or unwilling to change books. A 20 cent book means that the favorite and underdog will be separated by 20 cents, meaning a -150 line on a favorite will feature a + 130 line on the underdog. Using a 15 or 20 cent sportsbooks puts you at an automatic disadvantage – don’t settle for these lines! Simply by choosing a dimeline book over a 20 cent book you can ensure that your units won will be higher in the long term, regardless of who you bet.

As great as dimeline books may be, there are even better options out there for moneyline bettors. These options are called betting exchanges, and oftentimes they will offer the best lines you can find anywhere in the world. Betting exchanges forego the “middle man” and allow bettors from all over the world to offer lines directly to one another, resulting in lines that are often more favorable than that can be found at any sportsbook. The following is an example taken directly from today’s (3/25/09) moneylines on a preseason game:

As you can see, Matchbook, a betting exchange, offers a better line on both the favorite and the underdog! In addition, a betting exchange doesn’t “straddle the line” like a sportsbook does (always separating the favorite and underdog line by exactly 10 or 20 cents, essentially the vig). Since a betting exchange’s lines are set by its members, it is not uncommon to find equal (i.e., +150/-150) or near-equal odds on the favorite and underdog – it doesn’t get much better than that!

Never settle on using just one sportsbook to place all of your wagers. By diversifying your sportsbook memberships, you allow yourself the opportunity to seek out the best lines and get the most bang for your buck. You can often find a line at least 5 cents better than the one at your favorite book by shopping around, and for a $100 bettor who places 50 bets, that would be a $250 swing in profits! For any bettor, it makes sense to belong to at least one betting exchange in addition to your favorite dimeline sportsbooks in order to maximize every dollar wagered.

While baseball may be most popular in the United States, the game is starting to gain a foothold around the world as well. Countries like Japan and South Korea now have some of the best professional baseball leagues in the world, while other territories and countries like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, and Venezuela have become hotbeds for developing baseball talent.

Betting on baseball has also become more prevalent as the sport’s global popularity has grown. These days, you can bet on every single Major League Baseball game online whenever and wherever you want. You can also place bets on other top leagues like the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) and college baseball online.

Our team of experts has ranked the best sites on the web for baseball betting. The rankings change all the time depending on certain criteria, but the updated list of the best sites for baseball betting online can be found below:

So, what do you need to know about betting on baseball? You’ll find everything you need to get started winning baseball bets on this page.

Beginner’s Guide to Betting on Baseball

If you happen to find yourself at a classic sportsbook in Las Vegas, you will probably encounter no shortage of bettors that place bets using their gut instinct. Lots of bettors will claim to have a “feel” for the game, and they’ll bet accordingly. While that may work a time or two, there is a lot more actual work involved in becoming a profitable baseball bettor on a long-term basis.

The typical Major League Baseball season includes 162 regular-season games per team, so you have no shortage of opportunities when it comes to betting on the sport. Shopping for baseball betting lines, managing your bankroll, not chasing losses, and finding the right bets are just a few baseball betting tips of the trade that can help you stay in the green over the course of the long season.

The top-ranked baseball betting sites listed above have everything you could ever want with regard to baseball betting coverage, competitive odds, a variety of banking methods, attractive bonuses, and more! While there is no exact science for turning a profit, having realistic expectations and using a highly-rated site with competitive MLB betting odds are a couple of key steps you can take right off the bat.

Types of Bets You Can Place on Baseball Games

Where To Bet On Korean Baseball

Moneyline Bets

You are surely familiar with the moneyline if you have engaged in any sort of sports betting in the past. This is the easiest bet to get started with when you’re learning how to bet on baseball. Quite simply, a moneyline bet is a straight bet on one team to win a given game. Every site that offers online baseball betting will attach moneyline odds to each and every game. The implied probabilities in the moneyline odds reflect either team’s chances to win the game, according to oddsmakers’ best guesses.

There can be plenty of upside in betting on moneyline underdogs over the course of a long 162-game baseball season. Even the worst MLB teams will still win between 50 and 60 games every year. So, if you choose your bets correctly, you stand to make quite a bit of profit in the long run by attacking moneyline odds.

Because baseball has more randomness to it than other sports, moneyline odds for a given game tend to be tighter than moneyline odds you may find on certain NFL or NBA games. Below is an example of how moneyline odds will appear on a site with MLB betting lines:

The minus-money baseball betting odds mean the Twins are expected to win. Wagering $120 on the Twins at -120 will earn you $100 in winnings. Betting $100 on the Yankees at +100, meanwhile, would earn you a $100 profit if New York wins the game.

Baseball Runline Bets

The runline is baseball’s version of the point spread. The point spread is installed so that oddsmakers can try and even the playing field from a betting perspective on a game featuring a couple of teams that may not be evenly-matched. The moneyline/runline is there to make both teams in a given game attractive for bettors.

In baseball, the runline will almost always be 1.5 runs in either direction. So, if we use the example listed above, runline odds on the Yankees-Twins hypothetical matchup would look like this:

With the runline, the favored team will typically have plus-money odds of covering the runline. So, if you bet on the Twins -1.5 in this scenario, your bet will pay out at +130 if Minnesota wins the game by two runs or more. Your bet on the Yankees +1.5 will pay out at -125 odds if the Yankees either win the game outright or lose by no more than one run.

Over/Under Bets

If spread betting or moneyline betting aren’t for you, perhaps you’re interested in taking a shot at betting on implied totals. The total, also commonly called the “over/under,” is the total number of runs oddsmakers expect to be scored in a given game. Both teams in a game will have an implied run total, but you will most commonly see totals listed as the total number of runs oddsmakers both teams to combine to score in a game.

Unless the betting public is heavily favoring one side of an over/under bet, both sides will typically come with very similar odds. Here’s an example of how a baseball over/under bet would look at an MLB betting site:

Baseball Parlays

A parlay is a combination of different bets all lumped together in a single wager. With a parlay, you need every single result to go your way in order for the bet to payout. If you get every single necessary result, your payout will be substantially larger than it would have been if you had bet on every single option individually. Your chances of winning a parlay are obviously lower than they would be if you’re betting on a single outcome, but the payout amounts increase with each additional selection you add to your bet slip.

Here is how a payout structure may look for parlays at baseball betting sites:

• 3 bets (+600)
• 4 bets (+1000)
• 5 bets (+2000)
• 6 bets (+4000)
• 7 bets (+7500)
• 8 bets (+15000)
• 9 bets (+30000)
• 10 bets (+80000)

Futures Bets

A futures bet is a wager on a future outcome. With a baseball futures bet, for example, you can place a wager on which team will win a certain division, league, or the World Series. Oddsmakers will put odds on every team’s chances of winning at the beginning of the season. You may also find futures odds on individual accolades, such as Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, and the Cy Young Awards.

Odds for every team to win the World Series, for example, will fluctuate over the course of a season. So, if you time your bets correctly, you stand to earn quite a bit of bang for your buck with a baseball futures bet.

Baseball Prop Bets

Prop bets were made famous by the Super Bowl, but nowadays, you will find prop betting options for just about every sport at online betting sites. Prop betting is a different way to get in on the action. These bets often times have nothing to do with the actual baseball games themselves.

For example, some MLB betting sites offer odds on which team’s manager will be the first to get fired in the upcoming season. You may also find props on which player will lead the league in home runs, or whether any pitcher will throw a no-hitter over the course of a full season.

Baseball Leagues You Can Bet On

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the top division of pro baseball in the United States. It is also undoubtedly the top league in the world in terms of talent, recognition, popularity, and betting interest. Top players from all over the world dream of eventually making it in MLB, which is why the league attracts so much talent from countries others than the United States.

Major League Baseball is split into two smaller leagues, the American League and the National League. The only discernible difference between the leagues was that the American League utilized a designated hitter in place of a pitcher in the batting order, but the National League adopted the DH starting in the 2020 season. Each league is comprised of three divisions: the West, Central, and East.

There are 30 Major League franchises in all, though every big league team has a number of minor league affiliates located all over the United States designed to help teams develop young players. 29 of the 30 big league franchises are located in the United States, with the Toronto Blue Jays being the only exception.

American League

National League

The winner of the AL meets the winner of the NL in the World Series every year to determine baseball’s champion. The World Series dates all the way back to 1903, when the Boston Americans beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. A World Series has been held in all but two years since 1904 and 1994. The ’94 World Series was canceled due to the players’ labor strike.

The New York Yankees (27) have won the World Series more than any other team, with the St. Louis Cardinals (11) ranking second all-time. The Yankees have also appeared in the World Series a record 40 times. The Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, and Tampa Bay Rays have never won a World Series, while the Mariners are the only team to have never even appeared in a Fall Classic.

The last five World Series winners are listed below:

• Kansas City Royals (2015)
• Chicago Cubs (2016)
• Houston Astros (2017)
• Boston Red Sox (2018)
• Washington Nationals (2019)

Korea Baseball Organization

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) is the top league of professional baseball in South Korea. While the quality of play and overall talent in the league pales in comparison to Major League Baseball, a number of high-profile players have come to the US from the KBO and found success over the years. The list includes Hyun-jin Ryu, Eric Thames, Chan Ho Park, and Shin-Soo Choo.

Most of the rules you will find in the KBO are similar to those in MLB. The KBO regular season spans 144 games, and the regular-season standings have much more impact on postseason success than they do in Major League Baseball. There are also just 10 teams in the KBO compared to the 30 franchises in MLB.

• Doosan Bears
• KT Wiz
• Lotte Giants
• Samsung Lions
• NC Dinos
• Hanwha Eagles
• Kiwoom Heroes
• LG Twins
• KIA Tigers
• SK Wyverns

The Korean Series is the KBO’s version of the World Series. Rather than a typical American type of playoff format, though, the KBO’s regular-season standings determine the playoff seeding. For example, the team that finishes the season with the best win/loss record earns an automatic berth in the Korean Series. The top-five teams in the regular-season standings advance to the playoffs.

The No. 5 team will face the No. 4 team in the first round. The winner of that series advances to face the No. 3 team in the next round. That winner moves on to face the No. 2 team, while the No. 1 team awaits the winner in the Korean Series.

The last five Korean Series champions are as follows:

• Doosan Bears (2015)
• Doosan Bears (2016)
• KIA Tigers (2017)
• SK Wyverns (2018)
• Doosan Bears (2019)

College Baseball

College baseball isn’t as popular among bettors as other college sports like football or basketball, but the college baseball season does garner quite a bit more attention by the time the postseason rolls around. The college baseball season typically runs from February until the end of the College World Series in June.

There are nearly 2,000 colleges located all over the United States that play some level of organized baseball. NCAA Division 1 is the highest level, and teams from this group will play for a title in the College World Series every summer. NCAA Divisions 2 and 3, junior college, and NAIA are the lower levels of competition. You can find college baseball betting odds at the same baseball betting sites at which you’ll find Major League and KBO baseball odds as well.

The College World Series takes place every June in Omaha, Nebraska. The Division 1 tournament includes 64 schools competing for the biggest prize in the sport. The eight regional champions then advance to the College World Series Finals to play for the title.

The University of Southern California (USC) has won 12 College World Series titles, which is the most for any program in the history of the event. LSU and Texas have each won it six times, while Arizona State has five titles. The last five College World Series champions are listed below:

• Virginia (2015)
• Coastal Carolina (2016)
• Florida (2017)
• Oregon State (2018)
• Vanderbilt (2019)

How to Bet on Baseball Online

1. Find a Baseball Betting Site

If you consult the table of top-rated online baseball betting sites at the top of this page, you should have no trouble finding the right site that suits your needs. From competitive baseball odds, comprehensive baseball betting coverage across a number of different leagues, fast payouts, quick withdrawal speeds, and good customer service, the sites listed above check all of the boxes.

2. Sign Up and Create Your Account

Once you have settled on where to bet on baseball online, the signup process is simple. Find the “Join” or “Sign Up” page, where you’ll then be prompted to enter some personal information. Create a username and password and enter a valid email address, and you’re all set! Signing up to bet on baseball online is free of charge at all of the best MLB betting sites.

3. Make a Deposit and Collect a Sports Betting Bonus

Before you can take advantage of baseball betting lines, you have to fund your account. On your site’s deposit screen, select your preferred method of payment. Most sites accept major credit and debit cards as well as e-wallets (like PayPal), and even cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin). Then, enter the amount of money you want to put into your account.

Before processing your payment, remember to take advantage of your site’s welcome bonus.

Type in the promotional code attached to your welcome bonus offer. That way, you can inflate your bankroll even further without having to actually deposit any extra cash!

4. Bet on Baseball Online

The sign-up and deposit processes should only take a few minutes. Once that’s all done, you’re ready to place your first bets! Sift through the site’s variety of baseball betting options. Once you have found the bet you want to place, enter the amount of money you want to risk. Remember to never risk more than you’re willing to potentially lose if your bet goes awry.

Once the information is finalized, submit your wager and get ready for your winnings to come rolling in for baseball betting online!

Baseball Betting Blogs

You should take advantage of every piece of information before you start betting on baseball. One crucial trait of every successful online baseball bettor is a desire to learn as much as possible before placing a bet. While relying on gut instinct may work for some, there is more money to be made if you actually do a little bit of research before you submit your wager.

That’s why we have a dedicated team of analysts whose primary goal is to help you become a profitable baseball bettor! Our sports betting blog is updated every day, with tips and strategy guides that can help you navigate the betting process across a number of different sports, including baseball.

Baseball Betting Picks

There’s no shame in letting other people do the hard work, right? This site also employs a number of industry experts with decorated histories in the baseball betting field. There are countless MLB betting opportunities with so many games taking place every single day, which is why our team of professionals is also happy to supply you with their own baseball betting picks, free of charge!

Plenty of baseball betting sites will put their picks behind a paywall, which means you may have a tougher time actually making a profit than you otherwise might when it comes to wagering on America’s pastime online. Our free baseball betting picks are proven to be winners in the long haul, so what are you waiting for? Check out our MLB betting picks page, which is updated on a daily basis.

Baseball Betting Strategy

While there may not be one general rule of thumb you can follow in order to become a consistently profitable baseball bettor, there are a few tips of the trade that can help you with your overall process. While some of the strategies you’ll encounter can be applied to betting on a number of different sports, there are certain characteristics of the game that make the baseball betting experience more unique than sports like soccer, basketball, or football.

Our baseball betting strategy page is geared toward helping you refine your process with regard to how to bet on baseball.

Baseball Legends

Major League Baseball is the oldest professional sports league in the United States still in existence today. As a result, there has been no shortage of legendary players to make their way through the game over the years. MLB’s origins date well back into the 1800s. Every different era in the game’s history has generated its fair share of superstars that are forever enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

This page is a comprehensive breakdown of 30 of the most noteworthy players to have played baseball at the highest level.

Baseball Betting FAQ

Is It Legal to Bet on Baseball Online?

While some states have voted to legalize sports betting and open their own regulated markets over the past couple of years, you don’t necessarily have to live in one of those states if you want to bet on baseball online. One common misconception is that online sports betting is strictly prohibited across the United States.

There are plenty of anti-gambling laws in place all over the US, but almost all of them are geared toward stopping Americans from opening up and operating their own illicit gambling platforms. The laws do not actively target the people actually placing the bets, which means you can legally bet on baseball and other sports online using the offshore operators listed in the table at the top of this page.

Can I Bet Real Money on Baseball Online?

Absolutely! Where’s the fun in betting on baseball if you can’t win real money? While many sites offer casino games that you can play for free, the thrill of online MLB betting comes from having some real skin in the game. Putting money on the line is a great way to make the games more exciting to watch, and you can turn a profit in the long run. MLB betting odds can be found at every single major online sports betting platform.

Where Can I Bet on Baseball?

In addition to the offshore operators you’ll see listed in the table at the top of the page, many states in the US have their own regulated sports betting markets. Many casino and sportsbook operators have since launched their own platforms in these states. You will find plenty of land-based sportsbooks akin to those that you’ll find on the Las Vegas Strip, but online gambling has also taken off over the past few years. If you’re in a state with its own online gambling market, there are several providers offering fully legal baseball betting online or via a corresponding mobile app that you can download straight to your smartphone or tablet.

What Are the Best Sites for Baseball Betting?

Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, SportsBetting.ag, and BetNow are five of the biggest names in the online sports betting marketplace for a reason. These sites have sturdy track records within the industry, which helps explain why they’ve been around for so long. In addition to offering a safe and secure online baseball betting experience, these sites also have what you’re looking for when it comes to things like banking options, bonus offers, fast payouts, and quality customer service!

Best Baseball Bet Today

Check out the table at the top of the page for more info on what makes these the best sites for online baseball betting.

Should I Use More Than One Baseball Betting Site?

We definitely recommend signing up at a variety of different baseball betting sites. That way, you can take advantage of the bevy of different bonus offers you’ll find at different platforms. Not all bonuses are created equal. Signing up at multiple sites will also allow you to shop for baseball betting lines, which is a necessary skill for all profitable sports bettors. Not all oddsmakers will see a game the same way, and you can’t take advantage of the discrepancies in the betting odds if you’re not a member at a number of different sites.

Where To Bet On Baseball Game

There is no limit on the number of sites you can join, and there are plenty of perks that come with signing up at several top-rated baseball betting sites.

Can I Bet on MLB Games That Have Already Started?

Yes! Live in-play betting is one of the most popular ways to bet on baseball these days. Just because you missed first pitch doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance to bet on a game. Most Major League Baseball games take about three hours to play, which means you still have plenty of time to get those bets in. The highest-rated MLB betting sites offer live betting options with odds that are constantly being updated to reflect what’s happening during the game.

How To Bet On Mlb

Am I Able to Bet on Baseball Leagues That Are Not in the US?

Where To Bet On Baseball

While baseball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, the game is starting to gain a foothold internationally as well. Some American baseball fans may happen to be fans of other leagues, like the KBO or the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB) in Japan. While online gambling sites may not offer as many betting opportunities on other leagues as they do on MLB, you will still find traditional baseball betting lines, like runlines, moneylines, and totals, on non-MLB games happening all over the world. Some sites will also take bets on minor league baseball and college baseball, which means you have no shortage of options at your disposal if you’re looking to bet on the sport online.