How To Bet On Baseball - Oddspedia’s Betting Guide For Beginners Cover

How To Bet On Baseball - Oddspedia’s Betting Guide For Beginners

by Oddspedia Experts
Reading time 11 min
Listen
-19:23
Knowing how to bet on baseball can be a very useful tool in your sports betting arsenal. While baseball is well behind football and cricket for popularity in the UK, it offers some unique betting opportunities. The game relies heavily on player stats and team statistics. So this betting guide will introduce you to tools you can use to improve your betting decisions. We will also analyse the various bets you can make and how to find the best baseball betting websites.
  • Facebook Icon
  • X Icon
  • Instagram Icon
  • Telegram Icon
Do you find this topic interesting?

How Baseball Betting Works

The most important thing when betting on MLB games is understanding how the odds work. Since baseball is popular in the US, the odds are often displayed in US format. But with Oddspedia, you can change the way the odds display to decimals or fractions. In the next section, we will explain the various bet options, but make sure to pay particular attention to the outright bet or Moneyline.

The Moneyline bet will help you figure out the probability of either team winning.

Once you can read the Moneyline odds, you can then find other value bets. If you are familiar with sports betting, you will understand the majority of available bets. But as is the case with many translations, the names of the bets may differ from what you use in the UK. First things first, you should know the most popular baseball betting lines.

Baseball is a team game so the majority of the betting action revolves around the Moneyline. There are also interesting run line bets which are similar to a point spread bet. And we have other bets which act like parlays, futures and prop bets.

Outright (Moneyline) Bets

The most popular bet you can make on baseball is an outright or Moneyline bet. This is similar to betting on the winner of an EPL game. You simply look at the odds and determine if it is worth making a bet. If the bet format is US odds, you will need to base your calculation on a £100 bet. For example, if you see the New York Yankees are -135 on the Moneyline, you can work out the odds as follows. The minus indicates that they are the favourite to win, and each £135 you bet will net you £100 in profit. Accordingly, +165 on the Moneyline means you will get £165 for every £100 bet if you win.

Spread (Run Line) Betting

Run line betting is similar to spread betting, but with a few differences. Baseball is notoriously a low-scoring affair. Rather than having different spread points assigned, the run line is always set at 1.5 runs. For this reason, the run line odds for both teams might not be equal, as you expect in a usual point spread bet. The run line payouts will vary according to the Moneyline odds. When you read the run line, you might see the San Francisco Giants at +1.5 -150. By taking this bet, you are getting a 1.5 run head start. The Giants could lose the game by 1 run, and your bet will still be a winner.

ACCAs - (Parlay)

Baseball ACCAs or parlays are one of the most fun bets you can make. You combine multiple bets to form one big mega-bet. The more selections you include in your parlay, the higher the potential payout can be. The odds for each selection you include multiply together. This can create a parlay with huge odds. For this reason, you should check whether the sports betting site you are using has a maximum limit. But remember the thrill of seeing a parlay with huge odds comes with a caveat. The higher the odds are, the less likely you are to win. Every selection in your parlay must be a winner before you get paid. Parlays have high risks but also high rewards.

Long-Term (Future) Bets

Long-term bets or futures are popular bets in baseball. You do not need to analyse a large number of baseball stats or follow along games during the MLB season. Instead, you will simply make a prediction before the season begins. This could be a team bet, where you pick your favourite team to win the World Series before the playoffs even start. Or you might make a prediction that your team will win over or under a certain number of games. And futures are not only placed on MLB games and teams. You can bet on other leagues or even individual players. A common individual player futures bet is predicting who will be the overall MLB MVP.

Special (Prop) Bets

Special bets are different from most bets as they do not always relate to who will win the game. You make special bets, or prop bets, on specific events occurring. These are especially useful bets if you are unsure which team will win a particular game. Rather than bet on the outright winner, you will bet on a specific scenario that can happen during the game. As with futures, you can make prop bets on a player, a team, or even a combination of the two teams. Common team prop bets are who will score first or hit the most home runs. Player prop bets work the same way. You might place a wager on who will have the most hits or make the most runs.

Another reason that many people are turning to baseball betting is the number of games on offer. There are many leagues to choose from, meaning there are always several games to choose from. The more familiar you are with the league and team statistics, the better prepared you will be. So if you just focus on MLB and Mexican League, you will have more than enough games to choose from.

Major League Baseball - MLB Betting

Most baseball betting focuses on MLB games online. There are a total of 30 teams playing games over the annual season. 15 of the teams play in the National League, and a further 15 play in the American League. MLB is second only to the NFL as the wealthiest professional sports league. This draws in the best players and creates the best teams. There is no other league that offers the same levels of excitement and action. Having so many great players makes MLB teams quite balanced. That creates some great betting opportunities and exciting markets. It is also the most featured league among betting sites, so this is the league you should focus on most.

Mexican League - LMB Betting

The Mexican League, or Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (LMB) is the Mexican version of MLB. There are 18 teams divided into 2 divisions. These 18 teams play over 100 games each season, so there are many opportunities to find some great bets. Another reason for the popularity of the Mexican League is the quality of players. In 1948, many players from teams such as the New York Giants moved to the Mexican League. But the team names in this league might not be as familiar as the ones in MLB. Luckily, websites like Oddspedia offer some great tools to compare teams. You can use Oddspedia's tools to compare head-to-head stats, latest transfers, and team news.

How Does In-Play Betting For Baseball Games Work?

Many betting markets are set and forget - you place the bet and wait for the game to happen. But live betting takes this to a whole other level. You can bet on a baseball game that is already happening. This opens a wealth of great markets.

Firstly, you can see how the game is going before you place any bets.

If you feel a team is playing well, you can bet on that team when the moment is right. You can also bet on events during a particular inning, such as who will score the most points. The ultimate form of live sports betting is to place your bets while watching the game. Many sites offer live streaming of baseball games so you can watch for free and place your bets from the same place. Oddspedia can help you find sites that offer this service.

How To Bet On Baseball: A Step-By-Step Guide

Placing a bet on a baseball game is easy if you use Oddspedia. Here are the basic steps if you've never placed a bet on an MLB game.

  • Find a betting site that you like. The best site is usually the one that offers the best odds and has the features you require.
  • Choose a site with features such as live streaming if you want to bet in-game or watch games live for free.
  • Oddspedia has a Baseball Odds Comparison Tool you can use to find the best site and markets for any game.
  • You will need to create an account with a betting site before you place a bet. We recommend joining more than one site.
  • Make a deposit to your betting site. Most sites will accept major debit cards and Neteller or Skrill.
  • Use Oddspedia's search feature to find what games are available. The Baseball Odds Comparison Tool will tell you who is offering the best odds for each market.
  • There are many tipsters that frequent Oddspedia. You can use their tips and strategies to make better decisions.
  • When you find a bet you like, click on it to get redirected to the betting site and place your bet.

How To Start Betting?

Everything You Need To Know In 5 Easy Steps!

How To Start Betting?
Pick A Highly Rated Bookie

Find the right bookmaker for you and sign up.

Fund Your Account

Make a deposit with the payment method you prefer. Consider responsible gambling features and bankroll management.

Claim Your Bonus

Many betting sites have a welcome bonus or free bet, which you can claim after making the first deposit. *never forget to read the small print!

Choose An Event To Bet On

Find an event you are interested in, select a betting market that appeals to you the most and "click" on the odds.

Start Betting

Go to the bet slip and input the details of your desired bet and confirm the wager.

Baseball Betting Tips And Strategies

Everyone likes to find a winning bet. Even if you will only place a bet now and again, knowing how to find a value baseball bet is a great skill to have. Here are some common tips and strategies you can apply to your baseball betting.

Look Out For The Best Available Betting Odds

While it may seem obvious, a great tip to get the most out of your sports betting is to find the best betting lines. Oddspedia lists markets from all the top betting sites so you can compare and find the best ones. You can see which site is currently offering the best odds for any market. By placing your bet with the site with the most lucrative odds, you will get the highest returns for your stake. Even if the margin is small, these returns will add up over time.

Take Advantage of Sure Bets

Another useful tip is to analyse betting patterns. Try to understand why a particular bet wins, or why you lose certain bets regularly. You can become more confident in your betting by using Oddspedia Sure Bets Tool to find winning bets. Odds vary from site to site, and this can sometimes lead to discrepancies. Oddspedia looks through all betting sites and tries to find these varying odds. Applying a mathematical formula, Oddspedia can find sure bets where you are guaranteed to win no matter what the outcome.

Follow Baseball Tipsters and Their Expert Predictions

Another key to successful sports betting is looking for value bets. These are bets where the probability of the outcome is greater than the odds the bookmaker provides. You can use Oddspedia Value Bet Tool to find these bets. Another useful tip is to follow the advice of tipsters. Many betting experts register with Oddspedia and share their baseball knowledge. They back their predictions with statistical data so you can get data-driven tips. You will also find team news, player news, and any other information that might be of value.

Take The Small Wins and Profits

The aim of sports betting is to find a winning bet as often as possible. And by applying all the tips from this betting guide, you should start to make better decisions. Make sure to record your losses and your wins, as they provide invaluable information. No matter how small a profit you make, a win is a win. And with every win, your stake is returned. So take every win and see it as a success. If you make a lot of small wins and profits, your bankroll will remain healthy.

Most Common Baseball Betting Mistakes

Not Being Familiar with Baseball

Betting on baseball before you are familiar with the game is a mistake that occurs over and over again. While this may seem like common sense, many people jump in before they are ready. If you cannot read all the markets and understand the odds, you are selling yourself short. You miss out on value bets and will end up losing more often than not. Take some time to read through this guide to get a feel for the available bets. Then browse Oddspedia and look at past results to see how these odds tie in with the actual results.

Ignoring Team Form and Player Injuries

There are many reasons why people love baseball. The dynamic nature of any sport means there can be upsets at any time. A common mistake many bettors make is to bet blindly on the odds. Just because the New York Yankees are favourites does not mean they will always win. Make sure to check Oddspedia for the latest news and information. The tipsters analyse each team's form and check for injuries and related events. By finding a weakness in a team, you open up the chance to find great baseball odds and beat the bookmakers.

Mismanaging Your Bankroll

Finding a sure bet or a value bet is of no use to you if you cannot fund the bet. Usually, the most common mistake that new bettors make is mismanaging their bankroll. The nature of betting is to get excited when you find a good bet. But you need to apply common sense to overcome this emotion. No matter how sure you are of the outcome, there will be a chance that you will lose. You need to anticipate this by managing your bankroll. Calculate how much you afford to lose without busting your bank.

Avoid Betting on Your Favourite Baseball Team or Player

Another common habit, and perhaps the hardest to break, is betting on your favourite team and/or player. You should strive to remove all emotion from your betting decisions. Just because deep down you want a team to win, that does not mean it is a good bet. It is still fine to bet on your favourites even if they are underdogs, but save that for futures betting. Numbers and statistics are the only things that should make you place a bet if you want to be successful.

Online Baseball Betting FAQ

Is It Easy To Place A Bet On Baseball?

You place eSports bets by identifying the sportsbook you want to use, signing up, and funding your account. After that, you need to select a market, compare the odds, stake, and place a bet.

🏆 What are the Most Successful Teams in MLB?

There are many successful teams in MLB and most of them are household names. The highest accolade a baseball team can achieve is to win the World Series.
New York Yankees: The most famous team in the history of MLB is the New York Yankees, and rightly so. No other team can come close to their incredible 27 World Series wins
St Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals are a fan-favourite and have managed to win 11 World Series. This is an amazing feat considering the strength of the competition
Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox is another MLB team that has become a household name. Their gritty playing style means you can never write them off in a game
San Francisco Giants: The Giants are always a team you should look out for. With 8 World Series wins under their belt, they are always near the top of the league

🥇 Which Is The Best Baseball Betting Site?

To find the best baseball betting site for any game you can use Oddspedia's odds comparison tool. But odds fluctuate all the time, so the name at the top will change as the bookmakers adjust their odds. For this reason, it is a good idea to choose from the top three sites rather than blindly choose the one on top.
Bet365 is always one of the top betting sites. They offer extensive coverage of all MLB games as well as the Mexican League and more. They also offer live streaming so you can watch your favourite team for free while placing a bet during the game. Also, they offer great promotions and welcome bonuses for new players.

⚙️ How Do Baseball Betting Odds Work?

Baseball odds are often displayed in various formats, but the resulting payouts remain the same. The bookmakers calculate the probability of any team winning a particular game. These odds become the Moneyline bet. A minus sign next to the odds represents the favourite for that game, and a plus sign indicates the underdog.
You can determine the probability of them winning by analysing the odds. -120 on the Moneyline means you will get £100 for every £120 you stake. To make a successful bet, you should predict the probability of any team winning first. Then you can see if these odds are better than the odds the betting site offers you.

Can I Cash Out Baseball Bets?

Like any sports betting odds, eSports odds are calculated as the ratio of the events that produce the outcome to events that do not. In most cases, bookies use software to calculate eSports odds.

💰 What Types Of Sports Betting Promotions Will I Find For Baseball?

There are many different promotions that betting sites offer to entice new players. These can range from free bets to deposit bonuses. You can use the site reviews on Oddspedia to find which ones offer the best bonuses that you can use for baseball betting. The most common promotion you will encounter is free bets. You can use these risk-free bets to try out the betting site and see if you like it. There are also promotions in place for returning customers. Deposit bonuses are a great way to boost your bankroll. The site will match your deposit so you can use this bonus money to fund your bets and win even more.

Can I Bet On Live MLB Games?

Yes, you can place in-game bets on live games if your betting site allows this feature. The easiest way to find the best live betting sites is to use Oddspedia. Search for live games happening now and you will find which sites offer the best odds. You can also watch live streams and place a bet while you follow the action. Live betting is the best way to enjoy MLB games while placing a bet.

Is there a League with UK Baseball Teams?

In the UK, baseball will never rival sports like football, rugby, or tennis. But as a minor sport, the popularity of baseball is steadily growing. Baseball in the UK is governed by the British Baseball Federation and there is a multi-tiered national league. While there are still only a small number of baseball teams, there are many talented players. MLB baseball teams have scouts that monitor the players in the UK, and several of the top UK players have made their way to the MLB. Baseball is still an amateur sport in the UK, so the format of the league changes each year. This is why it is lucrative for a UK player to make the move to MLB if the opportunity arises.
Before you go, do not forget to share with your friends:
  • Facebook Icon
  • X Icon
  • Instagram Icon
  • Telegram Icon
This article was written by our team of betting experts, any contributing references are noted below.
Last updated 20/09/2023
References
  1. How to Bet on Baseball. William Hill Sportsbook. https://www.williamhill.us/how-to-bet/baseball/
Related Articles:
    )    (       (       (      (            (       (
 ( /(    )\ )    )\ )    )\ )   )\ )         )\ )    )\ )     (
 )\())  (()/(   (()/(   (()/(  (()/(   (    (()/(   (()/(     )\
((_)\    /(_))   /(_))   /(_))  /(_))  )\    /(_))   /(_)) ((((_)(
  ((_)  (_))_   (_))_   (_))   (_))   ((_)  (_))_   (_))    )\ _ )\
 / _ \   |   \   |   \  / __|  | _ \  | __|  |   \  |_ _|   (_)_\(_)
| (_) |  | |) |  | |) | \__ \  |  _/  | _|   | |) |  | |     / _ \
 \___/   |___/   |___/  |___/  |_|    |___|  |___/  |___|   /_/ \_\