How to Bet Baseball for Beginners

If you’re looking to get started betting on baseball, this is the post for you. We’ll go over the basics of how to bet baseball, what types of bets you can make, and how to increase your chances of winning.

Introduction

Betting baseball may seem complicated at first, but once you understand the basics, it’s really not that difficult. Here are some tips on how to bet baseball for beginners.

The most important thing to remember when betting baseball is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. You need to find an approach that works for you and stick with it. There is no magic formula for success, so don’t waste your time searching for one.

One approach that does work for many people is to focus on betting the underdog. This can be a profitable strategy because underdogs often win more than 50% of the time in baseball. Of course, you still need to do your homework to make sure you’re picking underdogs that have a good chance of winning.

Another approach is to bet the money line instead of the run line. The money line is simply the odds on which team will win the game outright. This can be a good option if you think a team will win but don’t think they’ll cover the spread.

Finally, always remember to shop around for the best lines. Different sportsbooks will offer different lines on the same games, so you want to make sure you’re getting the best possible value for your bets. Line shopping is especially important in baseball because there are so many games played every day.

By following these tips, you should be able to get started betting baseball with confidence. Just remember to take things slowly at first and don’t risk more than you can afford to lose. With a little practice, you’ll be betting like a pro in no time!

The Different Types of Baseball Bets

Before we get started, we first need to understand the different types of baseball bets. Moneyline bets are the most common type of baseball bet and are simply wagering on the outcome of the game. Runline bets are similar to moneyline bets, but with a spread. The favorite will have to win by more runs than the spread, and the underdog will either have to lose by less runs, or win the game outright. Totals bets are wagering on the combined number of runs scored by both teams. Now that we know the types of bets, let’s get started.

Moneyline

The most popular way to bet baseball is on the moneyline. In this type of bet, you are simply wagering on which team will win the game outright. The odds for each team are determined by the bookmaker and will be displayed as either a positive or negative number. A negative number indicates that team is favored to win, while a positive number indicates that the team is an underdog.

For example, let’s say the Yankees are playing the Red Sox and the moneyline odds are displayed as follows:
Yankees -140
Red Sox +120

In this instance, the Yankees are favored to win and you would need to risk $140 to win $100. If you bet on the Red Sox, you would be risking $100 to win $120.

Runline

A runline bet is simply baseball betting using a point spread. The favorite will have a negative number (likely -1.5) and the underdog will have a positive number (likely +1.5). In order for the favorite to win a runline bet, they must win by 2 or more runs. In order for the underdog to win, they must either win outright or lose by 1 run.

Totals (Over/Under)

This is the most popular type of baseball bet and involves wagering on whether the total number of runs scored by both teams will be over or under a certain number set by the sportsbook.

The lines for baseball totals are usually set at 7.5 runs, meaning you would need eight or more runs to be scored to win an over bet, while seven or fewer would result in a win for those who took the under.

It’s important to note that neither team has to score the specific number of runs for a bet on the over or under to win – as long as the total for both squads combined equals either seven or more (over) or six or fewer (under), then your wager will cash.

Decimal Odds

Decimal odds are the most straightforward way to bet on baseball and are popular both online and at brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. When you see decimal odds, all you have to do is multiply your bet by the number shown to determine your potential profit. So, if the Detroit Tigers are listed at 2.10 to win their game against the Kansas City Royals, and you bet $100 on them, you would stand to make $210 if they won—your original stake plus your winnings.

Fractional Odds

Fractional odds are the simplest way to bet on baseball, and they are often used by beginner bettors. To calculate your potential winnings using fractional odds, simply multiply your stake by the number on the left hand side of the fraction. So, if you bet $10 on a team with odds of 3/1, you would stand to win $30 if your team is victorious.

The number on the right hand side of the fraction (the denominator) indicates the potential profit you could make for every $1 you bet. So in the example above, a $10 bet at odds of 3/1 would return $40 ($10 x 3 (your stake + profit)).

Fractional odds can also be displayed as decimal odds. To convert fractional odds to decimal, simply divide the numerator by the denominator and add 1. So, 3/1 fractional odds become 4 decimal odds ((3/1) + 1 = 4).

Decimal Odds
Decimal odds are very popular in Europe and are slowly gaining traction in North America. Unlike fractional odds, which only show how much profit you could make for every dollar you bet, decimal odds also include your original stake in the calculation. This makes it very easy to calculate your potential winnings; simply multiply your stake by the decimal number shown and you will get your total payout (stake + profit). So if you bet $10 on a team with decimal odds of 2.5, you would stand to win $25 (($10 x 2.5) – $10 (your stake)).

American Odds

American odds are the most common type of odds used in North America for sports betting. These odds are also commonly referred to as moneyline odds. American odds are presented as either a positive or negative number. A positive number indicates how much money you would win if you bet $100. For example, +150 American odds means that you would win $150 if you bet $100. A negative number indicates how much money you would need to bet to win $100. For example, -150 American odds means that you would need to bet $150 to win $100.

Implied Probability

In gambling, implied probability is the convertion of odds into a probability percentage. This can be done with either decimal odds, fractional odds or moneyline odds. The concept is the same for all 3 types of odds, just the math is a bit different. Simply put, implied probability tells you how often a given event will occur based on the odds.

To calculate implied probability, you first need to know the three types of baseball bets: moneyline bets, run line bets and total (over/under) bets.

Moneyline bets are simply wagers on which team will win the game. The team you bet on doesn’t have to win by a certain number of runs, they just need to win the game outright.

Run line bets are similar to moneyline bets except they also involve a spread. The run line is always set at 1.5 runs, so if you bet on a team as a favorite they have to win by 2 or more runs for you to win your bet. If you bet on an underdog, they can lose by 1 run and you will still win your bet as long as they don’t lose by 2 or more runs.

Total (over/under) bets are wagers on the combined number of runs scored by both teams in a game. So if the total is set at 7 and you bet over, both teams would need to score 8 or more combined runs for you to win your bet. If you bet under 7 and both teams scored 6 or less combined runs, then you would also win your bet

To calculate implied probability, simply use this formula: Decimal Odds/(Decimal Odds+1)*100 = % chance of winning
For example: A moneyline bet has decimal odds of 2.50 2.50/(2+1)*100= 71% chance of winning

Bankroll Management

Your bankroll is the amount of money you have set aside specifically for betting on baseball. It is important to only bet what you can afford to lose, and to stick to your budget. When starting out, it is a good idea to keep your bets small, 5-10% of your bankroll. This will help you stay in the game even if you have a few losing streaks. As you become more comfortable with baseball betting, you can increase your bets.

It is also important to remember that betting on baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be ups and downs throughout the season, and it is important to be patient. If you hit a slump, do not be tempted to chase your losses by betting more than you can afford. This will only dig you into a deeper hole.