How Do You Bet on Baseball?

Baseball and betting have a very interesting past, and there have been some gambling scandals that have rocked the league throughout history. Even though some baseball players have gotten in trouble for betting on the sport, it’s now completely legal for fans.  The sports betting industry has really taken off over the last few years, and baseball has helped to drive the industry. Baseball might not be the most popular sport to wager on, but it’s definitely going to provide some solid options.  Knowing how to bet on baseball is one of the most important aspects of gambling, and it’s similar to other sports. There are some unique betting options when it comes to baseball, but there are also some that are similar to other top sports.    If you plan to win money when betting on baseball, then you better have a plan in place before you head to the sportsbook. 

Top 5 Rated Sportsbooks For Baseball Betting

Find a Sportsbook

Before you are able to make a bet on a baseball game, you are going to have to find a place that accepts wagers. You always want to be on the lookout for a legal and regulated sportsbooks, and there are two major types offered in the United States.    Retail sportsbooks are where you are going to go if you want to make a bet in-person. This is going to require some travel, but you are also going to get a great experience as there will be other bettors there to wager as well.    Online sportsbooks attract the most betting action in the United States, and it’s those mobile apps that provide the best overall experience. There are some terrific companies throughout the country that offer online sports betting, and you can also get some great bonuses and promotions as well. 

Most Popular Baseball Bets to Make

After you have found a sportsbook to use when making a bet on a baseball game, your next step is to choose a bet to make. As mentioned above, baseball betting can be a bit different than betting on football, but there are some great betting options out there.    Feel free to try out as many of these as possible, and you can even combine a few of them at times to try to get an even bigger payout. Here are some of the most popular baseball bets to make the next time you head to the sportsbook.   

Moneyline

Betting the moneyline is probably the most popular bet to make when it comes to baseball, because it’s extremely simple. Baseball can be a hard sport to predict and betting the moneyline is simply picking the winning team of a particular matchup.    The moneyline is not always a great betting option in other sports as it doesn’t typically come with a major payout. It’s best to stick to the basics when it comes to betting on baseball, and that would be betting the moneyline. 

Run Line

Betting against the spread is a common phrase that is used in the sports betting community, but that’s not one that you will hear in baseball. That’s because it’s called the run line in baseball games, and it rarely changes regardless of the game.    Most MLB run lines are going to be set at 1.5 runs either way, and it does provide a pretty nice betting option at times. If you are betting the run line, then you either need a team to win by at least two runs, or keep the final score within a run. 

Over/Under

If you are looking to bet on the total number of runs scored in an MLB game, then you should be taking a look at the over/under. You don’t have to pick the winning team when betting the run total, and picking either over or under are the only options.    This could actually be combined with other bets to try and score a bigger win, but it’s nice to not have to worry about who will win the game. An over/under is an extremely popular bet on every sport, and it’s a good option for baseball. 

Futures Bet

You can actually make baseball bets well before the season actually starts if you want to pick the World Series champion. This is called a futures bet, and there are actually more options other than just trying to pick the eventual World Series champion.    Futures betting odds are open all season long, and you are typically going to find plenty of value in the odds that are posted. The outcomes of every game might impact the odds that you find, but they won’t win or lose you the bet. 

Player Props

Prop betting is known for being popular during the football season, but you can also find some great player prop betting options for baseball as well. Player props can make betting on baseball more fun, and you will also get some great payouts.    If you are betting on player props, then be sure to check out all of the options before you go and submit your wager. 

Parlay

Since there are always a ton of MLB games played on the same day throughout the year, parlay betting is extremely popular. If you are looking to score a big win, then creating a parlay is another great option to look at as well.   When putting together a parlay, you are in complete control, and you can make it as big as you want to. All of your bets have to hit for you to win this wager, but you can combine several of the different options that we talked about above. 

Live Bet

You might think that all of your baseball bets have to be in before the games begin, but that is not the case at all. You can actually make bets during live action, and this is known as live or in-play betting.   In some situations, this is actually a better betting option than betting pregame, because you can watch the game play out a bit before making a wager. Live betting odds can also prove to be pretty valuable if you are paying close attention.