On this page
Betting Major League Baseball
On this page
Introduction
The page will endeavor to give the recreational baseball bettor advice on the various bets. I have no handicapping skill in baseball whatsoever, so the best I can do is steer you towards the best type of bets. There are three primary ways to bet on baseball, as follows.
- Money line: Bet on which team will win.
- Total: Bet on whether the total number of runs will fall above or below a stated number, usually between 7 and 12.
- Run line: Similar to a bet against the spread in football or basketball. However, in baseball the better team is always favored by 1.5. If the money line indicates neither team is favored, then either team could be the favored team.
Compare Online MLB Odds
Baseball MLB Preseason
Today
Atlanta Braves
Detroit Tigers
Money Line
-163
⇗12.00
145
⇗16.00
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Atlanta Braves are favorites against the Detroit Tigers due to their strong offense and consistent pitching. The Tigers have struggled this season, especially in away games. The Braves’ hitters, including Acuña Jr. and Riley, are in good form.
Boston Red Sox
Pittsburgh Pirates
Money Line
-155
⇗10.00
135
⇗10.00
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Analyzing historical performance, the Boston Red Sox have a strong record against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Key players like Rafael Devers may influence the outcome with their batting skills.
Toronto Blue Jays
New York Yankees
Money Line
-110
-110
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Toronto Blue Jays face off against the New York Yankees. Expect a competitive matchup, as both teams are in strong form. The Blue Jays' powerful lineup will challenge the Yankees' pitching. Watch for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
New York Mets
Houston Astros
Money Line
-135
117
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The New York Mets and Houston Astros face off in a thrilling MLB matchup. The Mets have a strong offense, but their pitching lineup might struggle against the Astros’ powerhouse hitters.
Miami Marlins
Philadelphia Phillies
Money Line
-138
⇗7.00
122
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Miami Marlins face the Philadelphia Phillies, with both teams showing strong offense this season. The Marlins' young talent poses a threat, while the Phillies rely on veteran experience. Watch for pitching matchups, as this could determine the game outcome.
Texas Rangers
Arizona Diamondbacks
Money Line
-150
133
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks face off in a thrilling MLB matchup. The Rangers boast a strong batting lineup, enhancing their scoring potential. However, the Diamondbacks have shown resilience and strategic depth, particularly in their bullpen.
Milwaukee Brewers
Money Line
101
-120
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Athletics face a tough challenge against the Brewers, who are strong contenders with solid pitching. The Athletics need to capitalize on any offensive openings. Milwaukee has a superior home record and tends to perform well at home.
Chicago Cubs
San Diego Padres
Money Line
-140
121
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres clash promises excitement. The Cubs' recent form shows hitting strength, but face a challenge with the Padres' robust pitching lineup.
Cincinnati Reds
Kansas City Royals
Money Line
-133
114
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
When considering the Cincinnati Reds against the Kansas City Royals, pay attention to recent team form and individual player performances. The Reds have been showing strong hitting stats, while the Royals have been struggling with consistent pitching.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Cleveland Guardians
Money Line
-170
149
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Dodgers have been performing strongly, with a powerful lineup that includes key players like Mookie Betts. The Guardians have a solid pitching rotation but may struggle against the Dodgers' offense.
Seattle Mariners
Chicago White Sox
Money Line
-190
165
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Seattle Mariners have been performing well lately, showing strong pitching and consistent hitting. Facing the Chicago White Sox, the Mariners may have a slight edge due to their recent form.
Washington Nationals
St. Louis Cardinals
Money Line
-110
-110
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Washington Nationals face off against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have shown stronger performance in recent games, especially at home. With a robust lineup and solid pitching rotation, they are slightly favored.
Baseball MLB World Series Winner
Later
Competitor/Team
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Yankees
Seattle Mariners
New York Mets
Toronto Blue Jays
Philadelphia Phillies
Boston Red Sox
Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs
Houston Astros
Detroit Tigers
Baltimore Orioles
San Diego Padres
Milwaukee Brewers
Texas Rangers
Cincinnati Reds
Kansas City Royals
San Francisco Giants
Cleveland Guardians
Arizona Diamondbacks
Pittsburgh Pirates
Tampa Bay Rays
Minnesota Twins
Athletics
Chicago White Sox
Miami Marlins
Los Angeles Angels
St. Louis Cardinals
Washington Nationals
Colorado Rockies
Quote
230
1000
1100
1200
1600
1600
1600
1600
2000
2200
2500
2500
3300
3300
3300
4000
4000
5000
5500
8000
8000
10000
10000
12500
15000
20000
20000
25000
50000
75000
Baseball NCAA Baseball
Today
James Madison Dukes
Virginia Tech Hokies
Money Line
175
-240
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The matchup between James Madison Dukes and Virginia Tech Hokies promises an exciting game. Consider the Dukes' recent form and the Hokies' home advantage. Key players may influence the outcome, and weather conditions could be a factor.
NC State Wolfpack
Richmond Spiders
Money Line
-575
360
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
NC State Wolfpack is generally favored against the Richmond Spiders due to their consistent performances and home advantage. Richmond faces a tough challenge with NC State's strong offensive lineup.
Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
Memphis Tigers
Money Line
-135
105
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Memphis Tigers are likely favorites against the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans given their stronger lineup and home advantage. The Tigers have shown consistent performance this season, particularly in pitching and offense.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Campbell Fighting Camels
Money Line
-380
265
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers face off against Campbell Fighting Camels. The Chanticleers have a strong offense, ranking high in runs scored this season, while the Camels focus on solid pitching.
UNC Wilmington Seahawks
Duke Blue Devils
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Analyzing the game between the UNC Wilmington Seahawks and the Duke Blue Devils, Duke's stronger overall performance makes them the favorite. Keep an eye on Duke's pitching, which has been particularly strong this season.
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Money Line
-125
-105
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have a strong record against Tennessee Tech, often dominating with both pitching and hitting. Tennessee Tech struggles on the road, which could give Middle Tennessee an upper hand.
Missouri St Bears
Money Line
-250
185
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Missouri St Bears recently showcased strong batting skills, while the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles possess a robust pitching lineup. Analyzing team stats and recent performance, the Bears may have an edge in offense but must counter the Eagles’ pitching strength.
SIU-Edwardsville Cougars
Saint Louis Billikens
Money Line
-120
-110
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
This match between SIU-Edwardsville Cougars and Saint Louis Billikens is anticipated to be competitive. The Cougars have shown strong performances recently, but the Billikens have a sturdy defense that could prove challenging.
UNC Greensboro Spartans
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Wake Forest Demon Deacons have a stronger track record compared to UNC Greensboro Spartans. Wake Forest’s home advantage and consistent performance make them favorites in this matchup.
Ole Miss Rebels
SE Missouri St Redhawks
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Ole Miss Rebels are strong favorites against SE Missouri St Redhawks, known for their powerhouse offense. SE Missouri needs to exploit any defensive lapses. Ole Miss's home advantage and recent form suggest a high-scoring game.
Oklahoma Sooners
Arizona St Sun Devils
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Oklahoma Sooners and Arizona State Sun Devils face off in a competitive clash. Oklahoma's pitching staff shows strength recently, while Arizona State's lineup excels in batting average. Consider Oklahoma's momentum and Arizona State's home advantage.
Baylor Bears
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Baylor Bears are showing strong performance statistics compared to the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. With Baylor’s solid pitching and batting lineup, they are likely to dominate the game.
Mississippi St Bulldogs
Austin Peay Governors
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Mississippi State Bulldogs have a strong home record, making them favorites against Austin Peay Governors. Consider the Bulldogs' batting lineup that consistently outperforms their opponents.
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
South Florida Bulls
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The South Florida Bulls are expected to dominate against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats due to their stronger lineup and recent performance. The Bulls have a solid batting average and a more reliable pitching staff, which gives them a significant edge.
Wofford Terriers
Davidson Wildcats
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
This matchup between the Wofford Terriers and Davidson Wildcats is expected to be intense. The Wildcats have a strong home record, giving them a slight edge. However, the Terriers have been impressive on the road and could surprise.
Kennesaw St Owls
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
In the clash between Georgia Southern Eagles and Kennesaw St Owls, look for each team's recent performance trends. The Eagles have been strong offensively, while the Owls have shown robust defense.
North Florida Ospreys
South Carolina Upstate Spartans
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
North Florida Ospreys and South Carolina Upstate Spartans have a close match-up. The Ospreys exhibit strong batting but struggle with pitching consistency. Meanwhile, the Spartans are defensively sound with a reliable bullpen.
Florida Gators
Florida Int'l Golden Panthers
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Florida Gators are typically strong on the field with impressive pitching and batting stats, making them a formidable opponent. Meanwhile, the Florida Int'l Golden Panthers have struggled defensively but have shown potential in surprise victories.
Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
Indiana St Sycamores
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The matchup between Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and Indiana State Sycamores could be close, with both teams showing strong performances lately. Watch key player stats like batting averages and pitching ERAs for better predictions.
This Week
Texas A&M Aggies
Lamar Cardinals
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Texas A&M Aggies have shown strong form in the NCAA baseball circuit, making them favorites against the Lamar Cardinals. With a more robust pitching rotation and consistent batting performances, the Aggies hold an edge.
Texas State Bobcats
UTSA Roadrunners
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Texas State Bobcats face the UTSA Roadrunners in an intriguing matchup. The Bobcats have been strong offensively, but UTSA's pitching might pose a challenge. Watch for Texas State's top hitters to influence the odds.
SE Louisiana Lions
South Alabama Jaguars
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The South Alabama Jaguars show strong home form, which could give them an edge against the SE Louisiana Lions. Recent performances have highlighted their pitching advantage. The Lions will rely on their offense to stay competitive.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
Northwestern St Demons
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Northwestern St Demons face off in an exciting matchup. Bulldogs have shown strong performances in recent games, with a reliable pitching staff.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Kansas St Wildcats
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Sam Houston St Bearkats
Houston Cougars
UT-Arlington Mavericks
Dallas Baptist Patriots
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
The Dallas Baptist Patriots have been strong this season with consistent hitting and solid pitching, making them favorites against the UT-Arlington Mavericks.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Alabama Crimson Tide
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
New Orleans Privateers
Tulane Green Wave
Texas Longhorns
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Rice Owls
Houston Baptist Huskies
Washington Huskies
Seattle Redhawks
Cal Baptist Lancers
CSU Northridge Matadors
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
UC Irvine Anteaters
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
Loyola Marymount Lions
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Money Line
Spread
Total
Featured Insight
UC San Diego Tritons
San Diego Toreros
California Golden Bears
UC Davis Aggies
UNLV Rebels
Western Michigan Broncos
Source of Data
The data this analysis is based on is from the Major League Baseball games played over the 2016 and 2017 seasons. I had to remove two games because of incomplete data. The total number of games this page is based on is 4,929.
Fun Facts
The following table shows the average number of runs, hits, errors.
MLB Averages 2016-2017
| Item | Away | Home | Total1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs | 4.47 | 4.64 | 9.10 |
| Hits | 8.71 | 8.64 | 17.34 |
| Errors | 0.58 | 0.58 | 1.16 |
| Total | 13.76 | 13.87 | 27.61 |
Notes
1. Totals may not appear to agree with sum of the parts, due to rounding.
Money Line Bets
When it comes to betting money lines in baseball, or any sports bet for that matter, what is number of basis points, or "cents" between the lines of the two teams. For example, a 10-cent set of lines would be +120/-130 or +105/+105. Following is the theoretical house edge by number of cents in the lines, assuming the probability of each team winning is close to 50%.
- 10 cents: 2.38%
- 15 cents: 3.49%
- 20 cents: 4.55%
As of this writing (Sept. 20, 2018) here are which sports book groups offer which sets of money line bets in baseball.
- 10-cent lines: Westgate, William Hill, South Point, Stations, CG Technology, Golden Nugget, Jerry's Nugget, Boyd
- 15-cent lines: Stratosphere, Caesars, Wynn
- 20-cent lines: MGM/Mirage, Treasure Island
Home or Road Teams
I show money line bets on road teams perform slightly better than home teams. Here are the expected return for both:
- Road teams: 98.30%
- Home teams: 97.99%
I do not think this 0.3% difference is statistically significant.
Favorite or Underdog
Following is the expected return for both underdogs and favorites against a 10-cent line:
- Underdogs: 98.49%
- Favorites: 97.79%
Not surprisingly, the underdogs did better. This seems to be true in every American sport.
Ohio Recommended Online Sports Books
View All
75 % up to
750$
100 % up to
500$
50 % up to
250$
+100 spins
50 % up to
250$
+100 spins
Over/Under Bets
The following table shows the number of times the total runs was over, under, and exactly on the over/under line. The return column shows the house edge, assuming a 20-cent line. Note that the house edge is 2.25% less on Under bets.
Over/Under Bets in MLB
| Outcome | Number | Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over | 2315 | 46.97% | 5.45% |
| Under | 2373 | 48.14% | 3.20% |
| Push | 241 | 4.89% | |
| Total | 4929 | 100.00% |
Run Line Bets
Based on sets of 20-cent lines, I show the following expected returns:
- Underdog +1.5: 96.34%
- Favorite -1.5: 96.90%
I must say I'm surprised to see favorites outperform underdogs on the run line. This is not the case in the NHL on the puck line. The difference is fairly small at 0.64% so I would not trust the favorite side to continue to do better.\
Top 6 Online Sports Book Bonuses
Internal Links
- Obscure Topics in Betting Major League Baseball — These are some tables I didn't bother to update when I updated this page with new data. Use the tables in this page, based on data from 2000 to 2009, with a grain of salt.
- Betting the NFL In-depth look at betting professional football.
- Betting the NBA In-depth look at betting professional basketball.
- Appendix 1 Comparative study on who has the best lines in Vegas.
- Appendix 2 Various topics in sports betting.
- Appendix 3 List of Las Vegas sports book families.
- Appendix 4 Fair prices to buy and sell points in the NFL.
- Appendix 5 Explores sports futures in greater depth.
- Appendix 6 Lost and expired tickets.
- Appendix 7 Companion to appendix 1, showing NFL money line pairs from several Internet sportbooks.
- Appendix 8 Comparitive study on who has the best lines offshore.
- Appendix 9 Companion to appendix 8, showing NFL money line pairs from offshore sportbooks.
- NFL Teasers.
- Total number of kickoffs in Super Bowl 43. Were there 9 or 10?
- Vegas sports book comparison at WizardOfVegas.com. Who offers what odds on parlays and teasers, as well as rebate percentages.