Betting on Major League Baseball (MLB) is a great way to pass the summer, winning money the whole way.  While the boys of summer are slaving away at their 162 game schedule, that gives you 162 chances to bet on baseball games.

Because of the massive number of games played every year in MLB baseball, betting on baseball is more of a marathon, rather than a sprint like betting on the NFL.

Baseball is a numbers game at it’s core, and betting on MLB games is no different. There are an amazing amount of in-depth stats that are available to baseball bettors, and if you do not take advantage of things like weighted park factors, wOBA+, umpire tendencies, and several other complicated sabermetric factors, then you are not betting baseball at a high enough level to crush the sports books in the long run.

If that last sentence made no sense at all, don’t worry. We offer daily analysis and predictions in our MLB picks articles throughout the season.

The first thing you need to learn about “betting on baseball” are the types of bets that you can make:

  • MLB Money Line Betting – Picking a team to simply win the game. The favored team will give you less of a payout if you win, and the underdog will give you greater odds if you win. (Yankees -175 vs. Royals +155)
  • MLB Run Line Betting - When betting on MLB Run Line Betting, you are picking a team to win by multiple runs. This gives you a better chance to win bigger money. Obviously winning by two runs or more is more difficult than the simple one run. (Yankees -1.5, +155 vs. Royals +1.5, -140) is an example of a MLB Run Line Bet.
  • MLB Run Total Betting (Over/Under) – When you are betting on MLB Run Total Betting or the “Over/Under”, you are electing whether the amount of runs scored will be more or less than the oddsmakers predict. Many totals in Major League Baseball are set between 7 and 10. If you think there will be more runs, bet the “over”, and less runs bet the “under”.
  • MLB Reverse Run Line Betting - We talked about the run line, and even gave an example of the reverse run line. Instead of betting the team to win by more than one run, now with the reserve, you are taking the team to lose by 1 run. The example: Kansas City Royals +1.5, -140 is an example for this type of bet.
  • MLB Parlay Betting – In MLB Parlay Betting you are wagering several teams on one bet. In this, each team you place on the parlay sheet must win, or your bet loses. Each team you add on your parlay sheet, the more money you have to win. This makes sense, because your odds get worse.
  • MLB Prop Betting – in big games, often times prop bets are listed. A prop bet is a single event that could or may not happen in the game. For example, you may be able to bet on who will get the first hit of the game, or how many strikeouts a pitcher will record.
  • MLB Future Bets – At the beginning of the season, bettors can wager on who they feel will win the World Series. They are getting certain odds, and once they make the bet, those odds remain the same. During the season, odds for teams change due to their performance.

MLB Games you MUST bet on

1. Major League Baseball All Star Game – The Summer Classic. This game features the best players in the game. Now, with the game deciding home field advantage in the World Series, it matters a little more.

2. World Series - The October Classic. This best of 7 series provides great entertainment as the fall approaches. The storylines and the match-ups for the World Series is always one of a kind!

3. Rivalry match-ups - Since Baseball is played in series’ of 3, with some coming in 2 or 4, a series is fun to watch. Seeing one team take complete control of a series, or an even matched series with back and forth results is a thing of beauty. These are even better when bitter rivals get together. Cubs/Cardinals, Yankees/Red Sox, Giants/Dodgers, Mets/Yankeets, Cubs/White Sox are good examples of excellent rivalry match-ups in Baseball.

Some Helpful Hints when betting on Major League Baseball:

As we said earlier, baseball is a long sport. But once you get the hang of things, it can be a very fun and profitable sports to bet on. Here are some helpful hints when betting on Major League Baseball:

  • Watch Pitching Match-ups - Before making your pick – check the starting pitchers. Make sure the ace you thought was going to pitch, hasn’t been scratched.
  • Check Lineups - Again – before you make the big bet, check all the available materials you can to make sure the manager of a team has not placed a “different” lineup out there. With 162 games in a season, often times, managers will sit guys to keep them fresh.
  • Check Injury Reports - Be sure you watch to make sure the best hitter, or closer is not hurt for a certain team. Just because he isn’t listed on the disabled list, does not mean he will definitely play. Often times, guys will sit a day with something injured – check that out before wagering.
  • Look at trends - watch for how good teams are at home and on the road. Also on grass and on turf. Day and night. There is a stat for everything, and when you are betting on the game, you want to look at ALL those stats. They can help!

Conclusion to Major League Betting

Major League Baseball betting is difficult at times, because the Kansas City Royals can go to Yankee Stadium and sweep the Yankees. but, overall, in the long haul of games, with the ability to wager 16 games a night for 200 nights – you have the potential to rake in the dough. Enjoy baseball beting, and be sure to keep each day in check – and not get too up or down with a win or loss.