Baseball is one of the most loved sports and is commonly called America’s pastime. While baseball is undoubtedly huge in the USA, it does actually have a pretty big following in other parts of the world as well, such as Japan. In fact, baseball was even an Olympic sport for a time. However, it was removed because there wasn’t enough competition from other nations, and America was almost guaranteed to win.
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Baseball is such a huge part of our culture that even if you’re not a fan of the sport, you’ve probably heard of some of the baseball greats, such as Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Ted Williams. Baseball is one of those sports that is very closely associated with the American culture.
So it’s hardly surprising that there is massive interest in betting on the game. For new players interested in sports betting and betting on baseball, in particular, we’ve put together a detailed guide to baseball betting.
Baseball Betting – Is it Legal?
The most important question on anyone’s mind when they want to get involved in sports betting is, is it legal? No one wants to get into trouble with the law, just because they were having some fun trying to win money on a baseball game. There’s good and bad news when it comes to the legality of sports betting in the United States.
When it comes to actual physical sports betting locations, it is only legal in around five states. These are Montana, Delaware, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon. If you don’t live in one of these states and you want to pop down to your nearest casino, or bookie, and make a bet, you’re out of luck.
However, the law doesn’t stop gamblers from using online bookies. The law prevents online sportsbooks from operating from within the United States, but sportsbooks located outside the USA are able to offer their services.
Baseball Betting Beginners Guide
While betting on baseball games may be legal, it’s not as simple as that. If a player wants to have any hope of actually winning some money, they’ll need to understand the basics of betting on the game. It is also advisable that they know the game as well, as it is easier to place smart bets on a baseball game if you have good knowledge about the sport.
Let’s assume you know the game, but not the betting side of things. We’ve got a brief guide below of some of the most common wagers gamblers will find when placing wagers on baseball games.
Point Spread
The point spread is one of the most popular wagers players will find at sportsbooks. The Point Spread doesn’t really reveal which team is favored to win, so don’t simply bet on the ‘favorite’ and expect to win. The point spread will read something along the lines of Team +1.5/Team B -1.5. In this case, Team A is favored to win, but the point spread is designed to encourage players to bet on both sides.
In essence, this example Team A is favored to win by 1.5 runs. Don’t get hung up on the half run; it is simply there to prevent a tie, or a push. If you bet on Team A and they win by two runs, you win. However, if they only win by one run, you lose, because Team B covered the spread.
The Over-Under Bet
As with other games we’ve covered under sports betting, the over-under bet completely depends on the total score at the end of the game. It doesn’t matter which team wins or loses; it is all about that final score. Baseball is a little trickier than Football or basketball, because the scores are typically much lower.
The sportsbook will give out a number, four for example. This is the total combined score at the end of the game they expect.
If you think the final score will be higher than four, then place an over wager. If you think it will be lower, place an under. It’s as simple as that.
Moneyline Bet
This is perhaps the easiest bet to understand. Also known as a straight bet, there is a clear favorite and a clear underdog. Unfortunately, while betting on the favorite is a smart move, it will net players a much smaller win.
If the top team in the American League were to take on the team in last place, players might see something like this, Team A-300, Team B +320. In this situation, Team A is heavily favored, but players would need to bet $300 to win $100. Betting $100 on Team B would get the player $320 in winnings if they manage to win.
While it is unlikely that the underdog will manage to triumph, there are a lot of baseball games every year, and it definitely does happen.
Proposition Bets
Proposition bets are a lot of fun and can normally be placed on any aspect of the game. Players can bet on how many home runs they think a player will get, how may stolen bases, and so on. Almost any aspect of the game can be wagered on.
Live Betting
Live bets happen in real-time as the action unfolds. Players can place bets similar to proposition bets during the course of the game. It is even possible, in some cases, to leverage a bad bet and change it to the other team winning the game, while the game takes place.
Understanding Major League Baseball
In order to really get the most out of betting on baseball games, players really should understand how Major League Baseball works. There are 30 teams in total, divided into two 15-team leagues. These are the American League and the National League.
These two leagues do play against each other during the course of the season, but they are largely run independently from one another. In the end, though, the winner of the American League will play against the winner of the National League in the World Series.
Tips and Tricks For Baseball Betting
Once you understand the basics of betting on a Baseball game, it’s time to actually start wagering. In the beginning, players should take it slow, so we’ve put together a list of helpful advice for new players. If you follow our advice, we’re sure you’ll be cashing in some wins soon.
Start at the Right Place
No matter how much you know about baseball or how much you win, it won’t mean anything if you’ve signed up at a bad online sportsbook. Bad sportsbooks will offer players sub-par odds and may even refuse to payout. This is why our first piece of advice is the most important, sign up at a reputable website. This way you’ll have better bonuses and promotions, a wider range of banking options, and you’re guaranteed to get your winnings!
Never Stop Learning
One of the most important things when it comes to sports betting is to never stop learning. Players always need to study the game they’re betting on. This means that gamblers who want to get involved with betting on baseball need to be constantly studying the game and looking into the statistics.
This will allow players to pick up on things like right-hand power hitters tend to crank the ball between 1st and 2nd base when they hit a grounder. If you know facts like this, you tend to stand a better chance of making some money.
When Starting, Place Simple Bets.
When you first get involved with baseball betting, we highly recommend you keep things simple. This means that players should stick to placing straight bets on the favorites. Research that has been conducted indicates that players who wager on the favorite win 60% of all their bets.
Now, this does mean that your winnings will be small, but if you place many bets every week, you could land up making a decently weekly profit. As you build your money, you can place bigger bets, or start taking riskier wagers.
Watch Before You Play
Most people who decide they want to start betting on baseball games want to jump right in a bet right away. We’d advise against doing this. The season will begin in April, but we would say don’t start betting until sometime in May.
This will allow new players to watch some games and build up some data. Players will be able to see which teams seem to be doing well and if any players have stood out with exceptional performances.
Baseball Betting Conclusion
We hope you’re excited to start this journey into the realm of baseball betting. It can be daunting at the beginning, but if you follow our guidelines and do your research, we’re sure you’ll get the hang of it and be having a great time before you know it! Best of luck from the Casino US team.