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Betting Guide
Baseball has a crazy long season with each team playing 162 games in a season. There are games every single day of the season and lots of games to choose from every day. So it makes sense that we would cover the most important part of baseball betting: betting on the actual MLB games. The amount of games is what makes baseball a really popular sport for betting.
Picking winners in MLB is seemingly easy. There are great teams and there are bad teams. There are great pitchers and there are bad pitchers. Anyone can spot these and pick a winner, but to actually make money betting MLB? That’s a different story and can be extremely difficult.
There are a few different options for betting on individual MLB games and we’ll cover all of those in this article. We will go over where to bet, how to bet and our own personal strategy for winning betting baseball.
Where To Bet MLB Games:
America: One of the top MLB sportsbooks is Bovada. They offer every option we’ve listed in this article and post their lines early.
Canada: You can find all the bets we’ve listed in this article and more at Sports Interaction.
Everywhere Else: 888 offers all of the top betting options for MLB games.
What is MLB Games Betting?
When betting MLB games there are a few different options:
Moneyline: The most common type of baseball bet is the moneyline. There is a game between two teams and one team is the favorite with the other being the underdog. Depending on the match-up, a number is set for each side. So, if the Dodgers are starting Clayton Kershaw against the Padres and some scrub, the line on that one might be Dodgers -300 vs. Padres +300. A closer match-up would mean a closer line.
You pick a side and make your wager. A +200 bet would mean you win 2-1 on your money. A -200 bet would mean you make 1-2 on your money.
Over/Unders (Game Totals): Each MLB game will also have a game total set. This number will vary based on who is pitching and the offensive match-up. A game in Colorado where the ball flies might see a higher line. For example, the Dodgers at the Rockies in Coors Field might have a total set at 10.5 runs. You then bet whether you think the game will go over (11 or more runs) or under (10 or less runs).
Runlines: Similar to a point spread in other sports, MLB games will have a runline of plus or minus 1.5. This means that if you pick the underdog you will get an “additional” 1.5 runs (meaning your team will win even if they lose by one run). The opposite is true for favorites who have to “lay” -1.5 runs and win by two in order to win the bet.
5-Inning Lines: All three of the above options are available for this, but it is only for the first five-innings of the game. Similar to a first half bet in other sports, this one matters more in baseball as it allows you to avoid the bullpens for the most part.
Common MLB Games Betting Questions:
Can I protect my bet from the starting pitcher being scratched?
YES!
Sportsbooks will offer the option of “Listed Pitchers, One Pitcher or Action”. What these terms mean is:
Listed Pitchers: Your bet only has action if both of the listed pitchers start the game. If either is scratched, your bet is voided and you get your money back.
One Pitcher: This is if you only care about one of the two pitchers playing. As long as that player plays, your bet is valid no matter what the other team does.
A good example of this would be betting a game in which Kershaw is starting. If he plays, you’re good. If the other team makes a change, doesn’t matter. If he doesn’t, you get a refund on your wager.
Action: You don’t care who starts, you want your bet to go through no matter what. A good example of this might be when you pick an over at Coors Field.
How many games in an MLB season?
A typical MLB season has each team playing 162 games which comes out to a total of 2,430 games combined for all thirty MLB teams.
When did MLB go to 162 games?
MLB has played 162 game seasons since 1961 when they switched over from a 154 game schedule. Previously, it had been a 144 game season.
The 154 game season started in 1920 when teams played 22 games against each of seven rivals, 11 at home and 11 away. The leagues began expanding after this and things changed. In 1961, the American League added the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators and then in 1962, the National League added the New York Mets and the Houston Colt .45’s. To keep the schedules even with more teams, the schedule was changed for each team to play their rivals eighteen times per season which lead to 162 games.
Despite the fact that the league has expanded multiple times since then, MLB has chosen to stick with a 162-game schedule and simply reducing the amount of games against non-division opponents.
How long do MLB games last?
Baseball is a game with no clock so the length of games can change from game to game. A shutout without a lot of pitching changes can be short. While a game with a lot of pitching changes can be quite long.
The game has gotten slower over the years with the average length of game being three hours and five minutes in 2019 and then three hours and seven minutes in 2020. Those were both new records despite MLB’s actions to try and speed things up.
How To Bet MLB Games:
Bovada: From the sportsbook, select “Baseball” from the menu, then “MLB”. The day’s games should be listed here with the 5-inning lines, over/unders, moneylines and runlines right there on the page.
Sports Interaction:: From the left side of the website find “Baseball” and click that. Underneath there you should find “MLB” and the day’s games will be listed with all of the day’s lines and numbers.
888: Right from the homepage find “Baseball” under the “Sports A-Z” section. Click “MLB” from there and the day’s games should be posted with all of the relevant numbers you need.
MLB Games Betting Strategy:
Starters are the key to all MLB betting as they are the main reasoning behind each game’s lines, but don’t overlook the bullpens. It’s becoming increasingly rare in baseball for a starter to last past the sixth inning so you must consider the bullpen.
A good thing to look at is recent use. If a team’s bullpen has been especially active over the previous couple of days, they are likely to struggle. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if a starter did finish a complete game or long outing previously in the week, that bullpen is more likely to be fresh.
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