Best MLB Betting Sites 2024 – Where to Bet on American Baseball?
If you’re looking for an MLB betting guide to help you win more, this is the article for you! First of all, we’ll reveal the top US sportsbooks for placing baseball bets. But this page is also crammed with other useful information, including tips to improve your profits.
Ready to learn all about Major League Baseball betting? Let’s play ball!
Best Online MLB SportsBooks 2024
First things first, let’s reveal the best sportsbooks at which to partake in MLB betting. All of these sites have been verified by our panel of experts and are safe and secure places to enjoy American baseball bets. Further, you’ll find a range of excellent promotions, convenient payment options and first-class customer support.
Contents
Having shared our top MLB betting brands, let’s look at what else will be discussed in this article.
- Best Online MLB SportsBooks 2024
- What is MLB Betting?
- Understanding baseball Odds
- Popular MLB Betting Lines
- Live Baseball Betting
- MLB Betting Apps
- Our Top 5 MLB Betting Tips
- Interesting MLB Facts
- Common MLB Bonus Offers
- How To Start Betting on the MLB
- Conclusion
- FAQs
What is MLB Betting?
Baseball is one America’s most popular sports in terms of viewing, but also wagering. However, while many people enjoy playing Daily Fantasy Games for real money, that’s not really the same as traditional MLB betting.
In this article, we’ll focus on the myriad ways to place bets on specific games, either online or in-person. Whether it’s the match result, player props, team props or in-play betting.
Understanding Baseball Odds
The odds are possibly the most important thing to understand if you want to become an expert in MLB betting. They tell us two important things. First of all, they illustrate the likelihood of an outcome actually taking place. But crucially, they indicate our potential payout if the bet were to win.
Cast your eye over the following example of a Major League Baseball moneyline, for instance:
Washington Nationals (+180) @ Atlanta Braves (-210)
The first thing we can tell from this line is that the Braves are big favorites to win. This is shown by the negative (-) symbol, which tells us the amount we should bet in order to make $100 profit. So to be clear, a $210 stake would generate a $100 profit, for a total return of $310.
On the other side of the moneyline, the Nationals don’t look to have much chance of winning this game. That’s because positive (+) odds represent the profit on a bet of $100. In this case, a $100 wager returns a healthy total of $280; $180 worth of profit plus the original bet.
Different Odds Formats
So far, we have only talked about American odds, since this is the preference of most bookmakers in the US. But across the globe, there are all kinds of unique odds formats and you may have an entirely different preference.
One of the easiest odds displays to understand is the European style decimal system. In order to work out your total returns (including the stake) you simply multiply the odds value by the bet. For an example of this, as well as several of the world’s most popular odds formats, check out the table below.
How are MLB Odds Compiled?
These days, few bookmakers manually price up their MLB betting odds. Instead, they use algorithms and math models to generate a basic moneyline, before an experienced odds setter makes any final tweaks. Such programs factor in all kinds of criteria, including player form and health, home field advantage and the starting pitcher.
Many other lines are automatically calculated based upon the moneyline, while all of the MLB odds are refined by the market. After all, if a betting site is using odds that are too big, the betting public will quickly spot it. As they wager on the incorrect price, the bookmaker will trim it and increase the odds on the other side of the line.
Don’t forget too that when the bookies set their initial prices, they are not based on the real probability of events taking place. They build in their “juice”, which is a fixed percentage margin. By paying slightly less than the true odds, the betting company makes a profit in the long run.
Popular MLB Betting Lines
Next up in our MLB betting guide, it’s time to reveal the most popular markets with baseball punters.
Moneyline
As we showed in our earlier example, the moneyline is the most simple form of MLB betting market. This line indicates which team is the favorite to win and which is the underdog. All you need to do is guess the winner of the game as a whole, and this simplicity is part of why it’s such a popular baseball bet.
Spreads
If you want a bet that’s a little tougher to call, try the points spread. Here, the bookmaker aims to bring the odds in line by issuing a handicap to the favorite. For example, the Nationals might be given a hypothetical head start of 1.5. In that case, their opponents don’t just need to win the game. They need to do so by 2 clear runs for the bet to be a success.
Totals
Total lines, sometimes called “Over/Under” markets, are common at Major League Baseball betting sites. The bookie will fix a line, for instance the total number of runs scored in the game. Your job is to predict whether the true amount is over or below that theoretical line. If the total line is 4.5, then a score of 5-2 (7) would be a clear win for the “over” bettors.
Futures
Many MLB fans like to place long-term bets, such as the winner of next year’s World Series or Rookie of the Year. Since the outcomes might not be determined for many weeks or months, these bets are called “futures”. They’re not easy to land, so the payouts tend to be extremely rewarding.
Player Props
In any MLB game, you’ll see several proposition bets that focus on specific individuals. It could be Aaron Judge to score more than 2 home runs, or Clayton Kershaw to record a certain number of outs. Whatever it is, if it involves one particular person, it’s called a “player prop” bet.
Team Props
Similarly, the top US bookmakers for MLB betting offer a wide range of team props. These are markets which only concern one of the two sides contesting the game. Examples include the team to score first, who wins the most innings and which side will win the race to 3 runs.
Live Baseball Betting
These days, the majority of global bets are placed during games. And since the legalization of sports wagering across the United States, the country has seen the same trend emerge. Baseball is no exception, thanks to an array of online bookmakers offering quality live betting apps and websites.
As internet speeds continue to rise and smartphones become ever more important in our lives, this pattern looks set to continue. That’s good news for bettors, since the betting sites are then incentivized to dedicate more resources to improving in-play betting.
In the coming years we can expect to see more detailed data feeds and an increase in the amount and quality of live streams. The number of game lines, player props and interesting betting mechanics will only continue to grow. So there’s never been a better time to get started with live MLB betting.
Popular Live MLB Markets
Live baseball betting is very popular with US sports fans, but what are they betting on? Aside from the traditional match winner, points totals and spreads, in-play wagering offers all kinds of innovative markets. Here are some popular examples:
- To score the next run. Bet on which team will acquire the next point. You can opt for “none” if you don’t think any more runs will be scored;
- Next appearance. Predict what specific players will do when they next step up to the plate. Options include making a single, double or triple, strikeout and home run;
- Race to X. Which team will be the first to reach a specified number of runs? The number will change as the game progresses;
- Pitches thrown. Bet over or under on the total number of pitches in each inning.
MLB Betting Apps
We’ve already alluded to the influence of technology on sports betting, but it can also be seen in the rise of sportsbook apps. It’s not just MLB betting that’s benefited, as all sports fans can now carry their favorite bookmaker around in their pocket. Such software is changing the game, just as on demand streaming has revolutionized movies, music and television.
Whether you prefer Android devices or those with Apple’s iOS, all of the best online betting sites in the US offer a specialist app. They are optimized for your specific hardware, not only the operating system, which makes for a polished user experience. Quicker bet placement times, streams which are less laggy and sharper graphics are just a few of the many perks.
Even if you’re not keen on downloading apps, you can still place MLB bets. Most top US bookmakers have built their online betting sites in a “mobile-first” manner. So when you open the sportsbook using your phone’s browser, you’ll see a page which functions well on a small touchscreen device. But it remains consistent with the look and feel of the desktop version.
Our Top 5 MLB Betting Tips
Okay, this is the part of our MLB betting guide that most people would have been looking forward to. We’re going to share our expert advice for improving your win rate when betting on baseball.
Tip 1: Get the best odds
We like to compare sports betting to shopping. If you needed a new wallet and two stores sold it for different prices, would you pay the more expensive rate? The answer is obvious. So why would you remain loyal to your favorite MLB betting site if they offered poorer rates than the competition? Use odds comparison tools and open multiple betting accounts with several brands to make sure you don’t miss out.
Tip 2: Do not place parlays
Parlays are the bookmaker’s best friend. They seem so appealing to bettors due the promise of big returns. If you’re confident enough to pick out five teams that you believe will win, why not parlay them and shoot for the big pay day? The answer lies in the mathematics behind bookmaking. All odds have an in-built profit margin and by multiplying the prices together, you’re just multiplying the bookmaker’s long term edge.
Tip 3: Ignore experts and tipsters
There is more access to sport than ever before, with social media, television coverage and live streaming. The need for content is through the roof and, frustratingly, this incentivizes the media to talk nonsense. Just because an ex-pro is paid to say something, it doesn’t mean they necessarily believe it or have properly researched it. Shut out the noise, focus on your own research and under no circumstances should you pay for betting tips.
Tip 4: Be patient and selective
The regular MLB season has a total of 2,430 games, so you’re never going to be short of betting opportunities. Don’t try to force situations that are marginal. If you’ve analyzed a matchup and you’re not certain, why rush? There will be another game coming along in no time. Pick and choose your spots carefully and don’t try to push tiny edges so hard.
Tip 5: There are no shortcuts
Unfortunately there is no magic formula for MLB betting success. You will have to work hard, just like with any other discipline. Consume as much information as you can by watching the games, poring over stats and comparing odds. If you have the time, we’d suggest you learn how to set your own lines. This will give you a huge edge when it comes to spotting errors in the odds. But it’s not something you can learn overnight, so you’ll need to put in the effort and be patient.
Interesting MLB Facts
The Major League Baseball (MLB) organization was born out of a merger between the American League and the National League. The former was created in 1901, while the latter dates back to 1876, making it the oldest professional sporting competition anywhere in the world.
The Cincinnati Base Ball Club, often referred to as the Cincinnati Red Stockings, is the oldest baseball team. It was formed way back in 1866.
Yogi Berra is in the MLB Hall of Fame for his incredible career, which includes several records. Perhaps the most notable is that he won ten World Series championships from 14 appearances, while playing for the Yankees.
The highest number of home runs hit in a season by one player is 73. Barry Bonds surpassed the previous record of 70 in 2001.
Recent MLB Championship Winners
Common MLB Bonus Offers
With so many betting companies around, the sportsbook industry is competitive. As such, you’ll find a wealth of generous promotions and bonuses out there. Keep your eyes peeled and take advantage of the following deals.
MLB Free Bets
Whether it’s given to repeat bettors, thanking them for their custom, or offered as a signup incentive, the free bet is common. You’ll receive a bet placement token, so the wager amount will not be subtracted from your real money balance. But if you win, you may keep the profits.
Risk-Free MLB Bets
As an alternative to the free bet, some bookmakers will offer betting insurance. With a “no sweat bet” or “risk-free bet”, you will actually have to spend real cash. But if the wager loses, you’ll receive a consolation prize. That is usually a fee bet token equal to the value of your real money stake.
Deposit Match Bonuses
These are commonly handed out as welcome bonuses, but you will also see reload bonuses at many betting sites. When you fund your account, the bookmaker will match that with a credit linked to the deposit amount. For example, a 200% bonus of $50 will earn you $100 on top of your own funds.
MLB Bet and Get
Some bookies like to reward their repeat customers with “Bet and Get” deals. For instance, you might pick up a $10 free bet token after placing three different real money bets on MLB games. Every sportsbook approaches this in their own way, so check the exact terms and conditions before betting.
Profit and Odds Boosts
It’s increasingly common at US betting sites to find daily specials where the compilers have elected to boost the odds. This is a nice little gesture to reward their loyal bettors. Some bookmakers go even further, issuing boost tokens. That way, you can pick out your own markets and enhance the odds, putting you in control.
How To Start Betting on the MLB
If you’ve stayed with our MLB betting guide this far, you must be excited to get started. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to do to open an account and place your first bets.
1: Pick a trusted bookmaker
Most online sportsbooks are honest, but one or two rogue operators spoil their good name. Avoid them by sticking to our list of trusted betting brands, which you can see at the top of this page.
2: Create a new account
The top MLB betting sites make this process as painless as possible. You’ll need to supply some basic information on the signup form for identity verification purposes. But it won’t take more than a couple of minutes.
3: Select your welcome offer
Some bookmakers ask for a promo code on the signup form, so don’t skip over it and miss out on the offer! Others will present a list of bonuses to pick from, while many require a code upon making your first deposit.
4: Load up your wallet
Once the betting account is open, you’re going to need to fund it before you can bet. Visit the cashier, choose a payment method and follow the instructions. Don’t forget that there’s probably a minimum deposit amount.
5: Place some MLB bets
That’s it! It’s really as simple as that. You’re now good to browse through the sportsbook menu and find the baseball betting section. Open up the MLB lines, find an attractive bet and click on the odds to add it to your betslip. Good luck!
Conclusion
Our MLB betting guide has covered everything you need to know to start placing baseball wagers. We’ve detailed the most common betting lines, explained how the odds work and we even shared some advice to improve your win rate.
All that remains now is to experience it for yourself! Pick a reputable sportsbook brand from our list of secure bookmakers and open an account today.
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