Baseball. The Game. Betting Guide.

Online Baseball Betting

How to Bet on Baseball - Baseball Betting Tips

For those who don’t know, betting on baseball is quite a bit different from betting on football.  Winning a baseball game can be done with only a run or two.  Because of that, a spread isn’t used like with baseball.  Instead, they use a money line.

A money line decides how much money is laid and how much is won when betting on a team.  This can vary, depending on whether the wager is placed on a favorite team or one that is considered the underdog.  The higher negative money line will decide which team is considered the favorite, and the lowest, obviously, is the underdog.  Money lines are generally listed on the basis of a $100 bet.  It can appear to be quite confusing when you first start out, but once you get the hang of thing, it is pretty easy to understand.

For those who are not familiar with a money line, here is an example.  The St. Louis Cardinals are playing the Atlanta Braves.  The Cardinals are favored to win.  A money line might say Cardinals -150 Braves +125. 

If you want to place your bet on the favorites, you would put $150 down on the Cardinals.  If you win, you’ll end up with $250.  You have a profit of $100, and this means you had to risk $150 to win that amount.

If you decide to go with the underdog, you put down $100.  If you win, you take home $225.  That means you had to risk $100 to get a profit of $125.

Baseball Betting - Any Hidden Costs?

One thing you want to check into before making your bets are hidden costs.  Many casinos and sportsbooks turn a profit by charging commission on each bet that is placed.  This is called “Vigorish” or “Vig”.  This commission is the difference between what is bet and what is won.  In baseball, they generally make more money if the favorite team ends up with a loss, and some will even adjust the line to make people more likely to vote for the underdog.

Bet on the Pitchers

Before you place your bets, check out the pitchers.  They are the key to every game.  The money line that is set takes into consideration only the starting pitcher for a game.  If a pitching change is made before the game starts, the line might be adjusted but not under normal circumstances. 

You can usually choose a couple of different betting options in regards to pitchers.  You can place an “action” bet, meaning the bet will stand as placed, even if one or both starting pitchers are changed before the game begins.  You can also bet only on the two listed starting pitchers.  If one or both of them are replaced before the game begins, the bet will become void and any money paid in will be returned.  You can also bet just on one of the pitchers.  As long as he stays in the game, your bet will remain.

Ask Questions - Contact Support

The important thing is that you should never be afraid to ask questions.  Be sure you understand the wagers you are making because you don’t want to get into something you aren’t prepared for.