Baseball Betting Rules You Need to Know
Contents
Here are the baseball betting rules you need to know in order to make informed and winning wagers.
Introduction
Whether you’re a casual fan or a die-hard follower of America’s pastime, baseball betting can add an extra level of excitement to the game. But before you put your money down, it’s important to understand the rules of Baseball Betting
Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
-The moneyline is the most common way to bet on baseball. This involves picking a team to win outright, regardless of the final score. The odds will be expressed as either a positive or negative number. A negative number indicates how much you need to bet to win $100, while a positive number indicates how much you could win if you bet $100.
-Betting on the run line means backing a team to either win by two or more runs (known as the “heavy favorite”) or lose by one run or less (known as the “heavy underdog”). The run line odds will always be expressed as a positive or negative number, just like the moneyline.
-Over/under betting involves predicting whether the total number of runs scored in a game will be above or below a certain threshold. For example, if the over/under is set at 8 and the final score is 5-3, then the “under” would be correct since 8 total runs were not scored.
-Proposition bets (or “prop bets”) are wagers on events that may or may not happen during a game. For example, you might bet on whether a certain player will hit a home run during their next at-bat, or whether there will be more than 10 total strikeouts in the game.
The Different Types of Wagers
There are three types of wagers that can be made when betting on baseball. The first is the moneyline wager, which is a bet on the team that you think will win the game outright. The second is the run line wager, which is a bet on the team that you think will win by more than the run line. The last type of wager is the total wager, which is a bet on the total number of runs that will be scored by both teams in the game.
Moneyline Wagers
A moneyline wager is a bet on the team that you think will win the game outright. The odds for this type of bet are usually -110, which means that you would have to bet $110 to win $100. However, if you are betting on a heavy favorite, the odds may be -180, which means that you would have to bet $180 to win $100.
Run Line Wagers
A run line wager is a bet on the team that you think will win by more than the run line. The odds for this type of bet are usually -1.5, which means that you would have to bet $1.50 to win $1.00. However, if you are betting on a heavy favorite, the odds may be -2.5, which means that you would have to bet $2.50 to win $1.00.
Total Wagers
A total wager is a bet on the total number of runs that will be scored by both teams in the game. The odds for this type of bet are usually -105, which means that you would have to bet $105 to win $100.
Moneyline
In baseball betting the favored team is laying odds, while the underdog is taking odds. The moneyline is what oddsmakers use to determine which team is favored and which team is the underdog.
The moneyline favorite will have negative odds (e.g. -200), while the moneyline underdog will have positive odds (e.g. +150). The favorite needs to win the game outright to win the bet, while the underdog can lose the game outright and still win the bet as long as they don’t lose by more than the run line.
The run line in baseball betting is equivalent to the point spread in other sports. It’s simply a way for oddsmakers to even out the betting action on both sides of a game. The favorite will have a (-) sign next to their odds, while the underdog will have a (+) sign next to their odds.
The favorite needs to win by two or more runs to cover the run line and cash winning tickets, while the underdog can lose by one run and still beat the spread (or they can win outright).
Run Line
The run line is a form of baseball betting that gives the underdog team 1.5 runs to start the game. This means that if you bet on the underdog, they would need to lose by less than two runs (or win the game) in order for you to win your bet. Conversely, if you bet on the favorite, they would need to win by more than two runs in order for you to win your money.
Total
The total is the number of runs scored by both teams in a baseball game A wager on the total is a bet on whether the final score will be over or under the lines set by oddsmakers.
For example, let’s say the Los Angeles Dodgers re Playing the San Francisco Giants and the total is set at 7.5. If you bet the over, you are wagering that the final score will be 8 or more runs. If you bet the under, you are wagering that the final score will be 7 or fewer runs.
The total is not always a whole number, as oddsmakers will occasionally set lines with half-run increments (i.e., 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, etc.). In these cases, if the final score lands on the number exactly (7 for our example), then it is considered a push and all bets are refunded.
Futures
Most sportsbooks offer futures betting on a variety of different baseball events. Here are a few of the most common:
--World Series winner: You can bet on which team you think will win the World Series before the season even begins. The odds will change as the season progresses and teams rise and fall in the standings, but if you manage to pick the winner you can cash in big time!
-League Pennant winner: Similar to the World Series bet, but you’re picking which team will win their respective league’s pennant (the American League or National League).
-Division winner: Another pre-season bet, this one lets you pick which team will win their division. Again, the odds will change as the season goes on but if you can pick a winner early you can get some good value.
Of course, there are also plenty of other bets you can make on baseball games once the season gets underway. These bets include Moneyline (who will win the game), Runline (betting on a spread), Totals (betting on how many runs will be scored), and Prop bets (bets on individual players or events).
Props
In baseball betting, props are bets that can be made on specific player or team performances. These bets are usually based on statistical markers, such as the number of hits, home runs or strikeouts a player will have in a game.
Parlays
Parlays are bets that combine two or more individual wagers into one bet. In order for a parlay bet to win, all of the wagers within the parlay must win. If even one wager loses, the entire parlay loses. Parlays usually offer larger payouts than individual wagers because they are harder to win.
A teaser is a type of bet that allows you to adjust the point spread or total in your favor in exchange for reduced odds. For example, let’s say you bet on the Patriots -6 against the Jets. With a teaser, you could lower the Patriots’ line to -1 and still win your bet as long as they win by more than one point. The catch is that you have to place multiple bets on at least two games, and all of your bets must hit in order for you to win.
The most common NFL teaser is a 6-point teaser. That means you get to move the line six points in either direction on each game. So if you bet a 6-point teaser on the Patriots -6 against the Jets, they would now be pick’em (meaning either team could win, and it would be a push if they tied). You could also bet an Over/Under teaser, which allows you to adjust the total up or down.
To calculate your potential winnings from a teaser, first find out how much money you need to bet (this will be your stake). Then multiply your stake by the odds of each individual leg of the teaser hitting. Finally, add all those numbers together to get your total potential winnings.
For example, let’s say you want to bet a 3-team 6-point NFL teaser at +180 odds. Your stake would be $100 (or whatever amount you want to bet), and here are the teased lines:
Patriots -6 vs Jets
teased to pick’em
Bills +10 vs Dolphins
teased to +4
Chiefs +3 at Raiders
teased to +9
To calculate your potential winnings, first multiply your stake by the odds for each individual leg:
$100 x 1.8 (for pick’em) = $180
$100 x 1.8 (for +4) = $180
$100 x 1.8 (for +9) = $180
Then add those numbers together for a total potential winnings figure of $540 ($180 + $180 + $180).
Glossary
Parlay: A bet that links together two or more wagers; all wagers placed within a parlay must win in order for the bet to win.
Point Spread: The number of runs or points given by oddsmakers to the underdog team or player in order to level the playing field. Also known as the “line.”
Run Line: A wagering line offered on baseball games that allow bettors to select a favorite or an underdog by laying 1.5 runs instead of the normal 1 run.
Money Line: A straight-up bet, without any point spread where the bettor only has to worry about who will win the game.
