Baseball Betting Explained with Examples Updated September 2025

Decimal odds highlight the total return you would earn from a winning bet. For example, a $10 bet at 4.50 would return $45, which encompasses a $35 profit and the return of your $10 stake. Sportsbooks release betting odds on thousands of sporting events each week. The odds highlight the profit you would earn by placing a winning bet on a certain market. However, you can often combine them with other markets, such as the spread, moneyline or totals, for a same game parlay. Depending on the game and teams involved, some MLB favorites can be upwards of -300 (risk $300 to profit $100).

Oddsmakers at the leading sportsbooks will weigh up the strengths of both teams. They focus on offensive and defensive capabilities, recent results, head-to-heads, injury news, home advantage and other important factors. The sportsbooks then release odds on either team winning the game and on markets such as total points and props. The traditional fantasy options require users to draft a team and set a lineup each day to compete against other players. This model of daily fantasy was made popular by the likes of DraftKings and FanDuel.

Navigating the sportsbook’s interface, finding MLB betting sections, and selecting your bets are the final steps to get you started with online baseball betting. The only problem with futures bets is that you must be prepared to have a chunk of your bankroll tied up for close to  7 months . This is why I recommend not getting carried away with placing too many future bets before the season starts, as there’s more money to be won with the actual games. For example, say you liked 5 plays and they were all listed at -120 on the money line.

So for example if the money line is -300, this means you will need to bet $300 and your team needs to win. Betting odds in baseball show the predicted probability of a game's outcome. The odds are there for you to figure out how much you will win in case you make any specific bet.

The team with positive odds is the underdog, meaning they're expected to lose. Let's say there is a college football game between Alabama and Georgia, and the Tide are the home team. Betting $10 on Georgia would net you a profit of $23, a higher payout than betting on Alabama. Many bettors are drawn to underdogs because of the bigger payout potential. The trade-off, of course, is that the chances of winning are usually much slimmer—so it’s a higher reward, but also a higher risk. Bovada is a popular betting app offering markets for all major U.S. sports and global https://officialparimatch.com/ markets.

• Dive deep into essential betting insights without even leaving the grid.
• The world of baseball game parlay and parlays is filled with opportunities for higher potential payouts.
• They're also useful for backing underdogs in close games, especially with a strong pitcher on the mound.
• And the same if the underdog of the game wins with additional points.
• Sportsbooks will assign a handicap to the stronger team (the moneyline favorite).
• In sports betting, the money line displays the odds for each team and the potential payout based on who is expected to win.

On the other hand, +200 odds would result in a $200 profit on a $100 stake, indicating that the team is an underdog. Understanding MLB betting odds is crucial for successful wagering on baseball games. With more than 2,400 regular-season games each year, betting on baseball is packed with opportunity. From moneylines to props, and run lines to live betting, this guide covers everything you need to know about betting on MLB. In a typical major league baseball game, you might see a team listed at -115, meaning you must bet $115 to win $100 if that team wins. Conversely, if you bet on an underdog with +150 odds, a $100 wager would net you $150 if they win.

However, when the right opportunity presents itself, an MLB moneyline bet on an underdog can grow your bankroll quicker than betting favorites would. Baseball lines are listed with money lines and totals by default as they are the most common types of baseball bets. You can also view the run lines (spreads) or filter by any individual odds type using this drop-down menu.

Run Line: Baseball’s Version of the Point Spread

Our in-depth guides teach you how to read American odds, decimal odds and fractional odds. We have provided clear examples to help you fully grasp what sports betting odds entail. Once again, you will find all sorts of alternate totals, which skew the odds in different directions. You can also bet on totals for individual halves and quarters, and sportsbooks offer team totals too. You can pick which team you think will win and place a moneyline bet on them. You can make your pick with your own handicapping analysis or utilize computer picks as part of your strategy.

Sportsbook Reviews

The underdog will have a plus (+) next to its point spread and must win outright or lose by fewer points than the spread to win the bet. The favored team will have a minus (-) next to its point spread and must win by more points than the spread to win the bet. The underdog team will have a plus (+) next to its point spread and must win outright or lose by fewer points than the spread to win the bet. Point spread bets focus on the margin of victory rather than just the outcome. In these bets, the favored team must win by a specific number of points (the spread), while the underdog can win or lose within that spread.

Consider bonuses, deposit and withdrawal options, customer service, security, betting opportunities, and unique odds offerings when choosing a sportsbook for MLB betting. Additionally, it presents a broad array of MLB prop bets and occasionally proposes parlay boost offers, enhancing potential profits on parlay bets. Special event promotions are frequently available, particularly during MLB playoffs and the World Series.

MyBookie provides user-friendly mobile betting optimized for pros with sharp lines and odds. Their app offers live streaming of sports events, casino games, poker, and more. Responsible gaming resources and controls – reputable online betting apps allow users to set deposit limits, cooling off periods, and other controls to promote responsible wagering.

It can be daunting at first, so we have broken down key bet types. We have also provided examples to help you understand your betting options. A rule of thumb is to never lay more than -160 odds on an MLB moneyline wager.

In summary, understanding baseball betting odds, exploring different types of bets, and leveraging online sportsbooks are essential steps for successful MLB betting. Major League Baseball offers a unique and rewarding betting experience. The season is packed with countless games, which means a multitude of opportunities for placing baseball bets. Parlay bets are popular because they can significantly increase potential payouts. A four-team parlay, for instance, typically pays out at 10/1 odds in Las Vegas sportsbooks. This type of betting allows you to combine different bets, such as moneyline, run line, and totals, into one wager for a potentially larger return.

Research and analysis covering the entire regular season and postseason can significantly improve your betting success. A four-team parlay involves converting the odds of all four bets to decimal multipliers and then multiplying these multipliers together. For example, if the odds for four bets are +200, +150, -110, and +100, their decimal multipliers are 3.00, 2.50, 1.91, and 2.00 respectively. Review your bet, including selections, odds, and potential payout before confirming. Look for a confirmation message to ensure your bet has been placed successfully.