Even though Baseball is called America’s National Pastime, it doesn’t mean it is not enjoyed in any other part of the world. On the contrary, Major League Baseball transmissions are watched by millions around the globe. We even have a World Classic Baseball, and who can forget the World Series? The bottom line is that it is a widely popular sport. As such, betting on a game is as fun and rewarding as on any game of any other sport.
Now, we already discussed the terminology of betting in previous entries. However, baseball has its peculiarities, which could be a little confusing for those not used to it. Fear not, we will go step by step in the process. Let’s begin.
Reading the odds
Once you’ve decided to bet on a baseball game, the first step is to read the odds. The following is a practical example of how they can look, depending on the site.
Game three of the World Series
| Team | Opening Pitcher | Money line | Run line | Total | |
| Houston Astros | Ian Anderson (5.5 SO) | -140 | +1.5 (-188) | 8,5 | -110 (Over) |
| Atlanta Braves | Luis Garcia (3.5 SO) | +115 | – 1.5 (+155) | -110 (Under) | |
The next step is to decide on the bets you are going to place. The first thing you need to keep in mind is that everything is calculated in relation to 100 dollars. The second is that the minus symbol (-) means that said team is the favorite and, consequently, the plus symbol (+) means that it is the underdog. Since everything is based on 100s, the minus symbol means that you have to wager the given amount in order to win 100$. On the other hand, the plus symbol means that you will win the indicated sum if you bet 100$. Of course, you can set the stake you want and everything will be calculated accordingly.
Don’t see it yet? How about an example using the previous chart? Let’s say you want to bet on the Astros and you expect to earn 10 dollars. In that case (because the odds are -140) you need to wager 14$. If they do win, you will collect 24$ (the 14$ you risked plus a 10$ profit). If you bet 10 dollars on the Braves (+115) and they claim the victory, you will collect 21.50$ (the 10 you gambled plus an 11.50 return).
At the end of the day, if math is not your strongest suit, you don’t need to worry. Our odds converter calculates everything for you. Meanwhile, just keep in mind that favorites pay less than the underdogs when they win.
Betting options
Baseball is mainly a moneyline sport, in other words, you wager on the overall winner of the game. The 3-digit number expresses the odds of winning (negative) or not (positive) each team has. However, that’s not all there is to it. Depending on the site, several other options are available. These are among the most popular:
- Run line:
Similar to a handicap in other sports, this type of betting is a way to mend the gap between the two team’s odds by assigning a specific number of runs. They are a handicap to the favorite and a head start to the underdog. These odds, however, pay less than the moneyline.
In our example, if you wager on Houston in the Run Line, they have to win by at least 2 runs for you to win. On the other hand, if your money is placed on Atlanta and they lose but for only one run, you still win the bet.
- Total:
This one is the equivalent of an over/under. The concept is rather simple: you wager on whether the combined number of runs is going to be greater (over) or lower (under) than a preset number. It comes with its own odds that are usually (but not always) negative. Using our example, we can see that the odds are at 8.5 runs. So if we bet on over, and Houston wins 8-0, we lose the bet.
- Propositions:
This type of bet does not involve the final winner or the loser of the game. Instead, it is related to the starting pitchers. Simply put: you wager on whether the pitcher will go over or under a determined number of strikeouts. For example, if you bet on Anderson going under, he needs to k-out a maximum of 4 players for you to win.
- Grand Salami:
In this baseball exclusive bet, gamblers wager on whether the total number of runs scored in all the games of a specific day will go over or under a determined value.
Now that you know the terminology related to the baseball bets you can place, the games will surely become more exciting. Just make sure to bet safely and responsibly through a trustworthy betting broker and score a homerun!