Editor-In-Chief with 20 years experience covering the betting angles to breaking news stories. Daily slots player, Portsmouth fan and League Snooker Player
Pitch into the thrilling world of baseball betting with our detailed guide! Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, you'll find insider strategies and essential tips that can help you round the bases. Discover how to analyze odds, understand different bet types, and make smart, informed wagers. Don't just play ball—get ready to score in the exciting game of baseball betting!
Score With Our Baseball Betting Expertise! 🚀
Type of Baseball Bets
One of the best strategies in finding the best bets for this particular market is to make a note of the total runs you think there will be in each game, then look at the totals offered by the bookies.
Whichever ones you disagree about most, whether it is over or under what the bookie is suggesting as the most likely runs total, should be the best value plays in this market.
Match Betting
Match betting on baseball doesn’t tend to include a handicap as standard unlike other American sports due to the fact that baseball matches tend to be much closer in terms of scoring. Therefore match betting simply requires the punter to name the winner of a match.
Run Line
Like a point spread in other sports, the run line involves betting on a team to win by a certain number of runs or not lose by more than a certain number of runs.
For example, the run line below shows -+ 2.5 and -+ 1.5 run lines from Ladbrokes on a game between Chicago and Detroit. The figures mean they must win by at least that figure for the bet to pay out. You should choose the handicap you like rather than the team.
Total Runs
This is a bet on the total number of runs scored by both sides during the match. You won’t have to call the exact number of runs, instead the bookmaker names the amount of runs they think there will be in the game and the punter must call whether or not the total will be under or over that amount, with the odds usually the same (a shade odds on) for both outcomes.
In the same game as above the bookmaker gave a large choice of over/under options.
Most of the best betting sites cover baseball to the same degree, some of the smaller operators may not have as many options to choose from. Free Bets will be on offer from many bookmakers when you sign up to their service.
Major League Stars by City - NFL, NBA, MLB & NHL Athletes Born Where You Live
Proposition Bets
Proposition bets are wagers placed on specific events in most cases within a game, such as the number of strikeouts by a pitcher or the total hits by a specific player. Prop bets can be available on the entire season such as will any player win the triple crown?
Make Use Of Resources
Baseball betting isn’t quite as popular over here as some other American exports but it still has an ever increasing following and should baseball games become televised more often then it could become very popular with the betting public this side of the Atlantic.
Possibly one of the most appealing aspects of betting on baseball is the amount of opportunities to bet on the sport. The Major League Baseball season may only last from April until October but in that season they manage to cram in a whopping 162 games for each team and that doesn’t even include the World Series!
MLB World Series Betting Guide: Strategies, Statistics & Picks
The fact that these games happen so frequently means the odds compilers are always having to price up new games making it easier for punters to be selective and find value bets.
The most popular betting opportunities on MLB come during the World Series, at the end of the baseball season. The World Series is a best of seven series that can pit the best teams from the American League and National League against each other.
If you are new to the sport why not follow the OLBG tipsters who add their tips in the monthly baseball tipping competition.
Baseball Advice
Know The Rules
Baseball isn’t the hardest sport to win money on, in fact many consider it one of the easier sports to handicap but to get ahead with baseball betting you need to know the rules inside and out.
The slightly complex rules put many off betting on baseball but if you have a decent understanding of the sport it is worth spending the extra time to get to know it better before starting to bet on baseball.
Spend Time On The Statistics
In order to get the edge on baseball betting you’ll have to spend plenty of time going through stats and knowing the players, especially the pitchers.
Baseball isn’t a sport in which you can simply glance at the fixture list and pick the best bets, it’s all about the strengths and weaknesses of each team coming together.
Any time spent looking at all the stats for each game will not be wasted, and then you’ll be in a much better position to pick winning bets.
If you don’t have enough time to look at all the fixtures in depth, why not become an expert on say 4 or 5 different teams and concentrate on finding the best value bets on those teams when the opportunities arise.
Let The Teams Find Their Form
Betting in the early part of the season is rarely a sound strategy for any sport but baseball is one sport where results can be particularly shaky to begin with. Not only can the early baseball season weather cause havoc but many baseball coaches still aren’t fully decided on their line ups and they are still tinkering with selections. Let a month or so pass before betting seriously on baseball unless you think you have found a huge edge early on.
As previously stated you need to know the stats and do your research to make baseball betting pay so finding the best resources and making use of them is key to long term profits. You may find others but the ESPN website can be one of the most helpful sites in finding and producing stats for baseball matches. Use the search option in the OLBG Blogs section where you will find plenty of baseball related articles.
KBO Preview & Betting Guide
MLB and the World Series
Most of will almost certainly start our baseball betting in the US and then move on to other leagues around the world.
In the US Major League baseball consists of a regular season, where every team plays 162 games in two leagues, The American League (AL) and National League (NL).
| League | Division | Team | League | Division | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | East | Baltimore Orioles | NL | East | Atlanta Braves |
| AL | East | Boston Red Sox | NL | East | Miami Marlins |
| AL | East | New York Yankees | NL | East | New York Mets |
| AL | East | Tampa Bay Rays | NL | East | Philadelphia Phillies |
| AL | East | Toronto Blue Jays | NL | East | Washington Nationals |
| AL | Central | Chicago White Sox | NL | Central | Chicago Cubs |
| AL | Central | Cleveland Guardians | NL | Central | Cincinnati Reds |
| AL | Central | Detroit Tigers | NL | Central | Milwaukee Brewers |
| AL | Central | Kansas City Royals | NL | Central | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| AL | Central | Minnesota Twins | NL | Central | St. Louis Cardinals |
| AL | West | Houston Astros | NL | West | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| AL | West | Los Angeles Angels | NL | West | Colorado Rockies |
| AL | West | Oakland Athletics | NL | West | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| AL | West | Seattle Mariners | NL | West | San Diego Padres |
| AL | West | Texas Rangers | NL | West | San Francisco Giants |
After the regular season is complete there are range of post season/wild card games.
Wild Card Games: In each league, the two teams with the best records that did not win their divisions play a one-game playoff, called the Wild Card Game, to determine which team advances to the Division Series.
Division Series: The Division Series is a best-of-five series where the three division winners and the winner of the Wild Card Game in each league compete. The winners of these series advance to the League Championship Series.
League Championship Series: The LCS is a best-of-seven in which the winners of each league's division series face off. The winners of the ALCS and NLCS advance to the World Series.
World Series: The World Series is the culmination of the Baseball season. The American and National League winners play each other in a seven-game decider to win the Commissioners Trophy. The matches usually take place in the Autumn. The New York Yankees have won the most World Series (27).
History Of World Series Results
| Year | Winners | Runner Up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Texas Rangers | Arizona Diamondbacks | 4-1 |
| 2022 | Houston Astros | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves | Houston Astros | 4-2 |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Tampa Bay Rays | 4-2 |
| 2019 | Washington Nationals | Houston Astros | 4-3 |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-1 |
| 2017 | Houston Astros | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-3 |
| 2016 | Chicago Cubs | Cleveland Indians | 4-3 |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals | New York Mets | 4-1 |
| 2014 | San Francisco Giants | Kansas City Royals | 4-3 |
| 2013 | Boston Red Sox | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-2 |
| 2012 | San Francisco Giants | Detroit Tigers | 4-0 |
| 2011 | St. Louis Cardinals | Texas Rangers | 4-3 |
| 2010 | San Francisco Giants | Texas Rangers | 4-1 |
| 2009 | New York Yankees | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
| 2008 | Philadelphia Phillies | Tampa Bay Rays | 4-1 |
| 2007 | Boston Red Sox | Colorado Rockies | 4-0 |
| 2006 | St. Louis Cardinals | Detroit Tigers | 4-1 |
| 2005 | Chicago White Sox | Houston Astros | 4-0 |
| 2004 | Boston Red Sox | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-0 |
| 2003 | Florida Marlins | New York Yankees | 4-2 |
| 2002 | Anaheim Angels | San Francisco Giants | 4-3 |
| 2001 | Arizona Diamondbacks | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 2000 | New York Yankees | New York Mets | 4-1 |
| 1999 | New York Yankees | Atlanta Braves | 4-0 |
| 1998 | New York Yankees | San Diego Padres | 4-0 |
| 1997 | Florida Marlins | Cleveland Indians | 4-3 |
| 1996 | New York Yankees | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 |
| 1995 | Atlanta Braves | Cleveland Indians | 4-2 |
| 1993 | Toronto Blue Jays | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
| 1992 | Toronto Blue Jays | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 |
| 1991 | Minnesota Twins | Atlanta Braves | 4-3 |
| 1990 | Cincinnati Reds | Oakland Athletics | 4-0 |
| 1989 | Oakland Athletics | San Francisco Giants | 4-0 |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Oakland Athletics | 4-1 |
| 1987 | Minnesota Twins | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 |
| 1986 | New York Mets | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
| 1985 | Kansas City Royals | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 |
| 1984 | Detroit Tigers | San Diego Padres | 4-1 |
| 1983 | Baltimore Orioles | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-1 |
| 1982 | St. Louis Cardinals | Milwaukee Brewers | 4-3 |
| 1981 | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Yankees | 4-2 |
| 1980 | Philadelphia Phillies | Kansas City Royals | 4-2 |
| 1979 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Baltimore Orioles | 4-3 |
| 1978 | New York Yankees | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-2 |
| 1977 | New York Yankees | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-2 |
| 1976 | Cincinnati Reds | New York Yankees | 4-0 |
| 1975 | Cincinnati Reds | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
| 1974 | Oakland Athletics | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-1 |
| 1973 | Oakland Athletics | New York Mets | 4-3 |
| 1972 | Oakland Athletics | Cincinnati Reds | 4-3 |
| 1971 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Baltimore Orioles | 4-3 |
| 1970 | Baltimore Orioles | Cincinnati Reds | 4-1 |
| 1969 | New York Mets | Baltimore Orioles | 4-1 |
| 1968 | Detroit Tigers | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-3 |
| 1967 | St. Louis Cardinals | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
| 1966 | Baltimore Orioles | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-0 |
| 1965 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Minnesota Twins | 4-3 |
| 1964 | St. Louis Cardinals | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 1963 | Los Angeles Dodgers | New York Yankees | 4-0 |
| 1962 | New York Yankees | San Francisco Giants | 4-3 |
| 1961 | New York Yankees | Cincinnati Reds | 4-1 |
| 1960 | Pittsburgh Pirates | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 1959 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Chicago White Sox | 4-2 |
| 1958 | New York Yankees | Milwaukee Braves | 4-3 |
| 1957 | Milwaukee Braves | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 1956 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-3 |
| 1955 | Brooklyn Dodgers | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 1954 | New York Giants | Cleveland Indians | 4-0 |
| 1953 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-2 |
| 1952 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-3 |
| 1951 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-2 |
| 1950 | New York Yankees | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-0 |
| 1949 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-1 |
| 1948 | Cleveland Indians | Boston Braves | 4-2 |
| 1947 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-3 |
| 1946 | St. Louis Cardinals | Boston Red Sox | 4-3 |
| 1945 | Detroit Tigers | Chicago Cubs | 4-3 |
| 1944 | St. Louis Cardinals | St. Louis Browns | 4-2 |
| 1943 | New York Yankees | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-1 |
| 1942 | St. Louis Cardinals | New York Yankees | 4-1 |
| 1941 | New York Yankees | Brooklyn Dodgers | 4-1 |
| 1940 | Cincinnati Reds | Detroit Tigers | 4-3 |
| 1939 | New York Yankees | Cincinnati Reds | 4-0 |
| 1938 | New York Yankees | Chicago Cubs | 4-0 |
| 1937 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-1 |
| 1936 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-2 |
| 1935 | Detroit Tigers | Chicago Cubs | 4-2 |
| 1934 | St. Louis Cardinals | Detroit Tigers | 4-3 |
| 1933 | New York Giants | Washington Senators | 4-1 |
| 1932 | New York Yankees | Chicago Cubs | 4-0 |
| 1931 | St. Louis Cardinals | Philadelphia Athletics | 4-3 |
| 1930 | Philadelphia Athletics | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-2 |
| 1929 | Philadelphia Athletics | Chicago Cubs | 4-1 |
| 1928 | New York Yankees | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-0 |
| 1927 | New York Yankees | Pittsburgh Pirates | 4-0 |
| 1926 | St. Louis Cardinals | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 1925 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Senators | 4-3 |
| 1924 | Washington Senators | New York Giants | 4-3 |
| 1923 | New York Yankees | New York Giants | 4-2 |
| 1922 | New York Giants | New York Yankees | 4-0 |
| 1921 | New York Giants | New York Yankees | 5-3 |
| 1920 | Cleveland Indians | Brooklyn Robins | 5-2 |
| 1919 | Cincinnati Reds | Chicago White Sox | 5-3 |
| 1918 | Boston Red Sox | Chicago Cubs | 4-2 |
| 1917 | Chicago White Sox | New York Giants | 4-2 |
| 1916 | Boston Red Sox | Brooklyn Robins | 4-1 |
| 1915 | Boston Red Sox | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-1 |
| 1914 | Boston Braves | Philadelphia Athletics | 4-0 |
| 1913 | Philadelphia Athletics | New York Giants | 4-1 |
| 1912 | Boston Red Sox | New York Giants | 4-3 |
| 1911 | Philadelphia Athletics | New York Giants | 4-2 |
| 1910 | Philadelphia Athletics | Chicago Cubs | 4-1 |
| 1909 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Detroit Tigers | 4-3 |
| 1908 | Chicago Cubs | Detroit Tigers | 4-1 |
| 1907 | Chicago Cubs | Detroit Tigers | 4-0 |
| 1906 | Chicago White Sox | Chicago Cubs | 4-2 |
| 1905 | New York Giants | Philadelphia Athletics | 4-1 |
| 1903 | Boston Americans | Pittsburgh Pirates | 5-3 |
FAQ
FAQ
Baseball Betting FAQ's [UK]
Where can you bet on baseball?
The vast majority f online betting sites will offer odds and accept bets on baseball, especially the MLB in the US. The best bookmaker online for baseball is bet365 [read bet365 review] with more than just the MLB on offer, great odds on the underdogs and one of the best in-play betting offerings for baseball action you will find.
What is the best way to bet on baseball?
There are several ways to bet on baseball but the following three ideas will help you enjoy your baseball bets even more.
- Bet on matches you can watch
- Avoid betting on very short favourites, the returns are low
- Concentrate on learning about a division and specialise your predictions on it.
How do you bet a spread in baseball?
Usually, you will find a standard 1.5 spread on the run line in baseball. This means one side will have a 1.5 run advantage [or start] before the game begins. The way to bet on the spread in baseball is to pick one of the two sides taking into consideration the start that one of the sides has been awarded.
What is an action bet in baseball?
An action bet is an American betting term based on money line bets with the listed pitchers participation depending on the outcome of the bet. If the listed pitcher is scratched the bet can be made void in some cases. it is best to check with your specific bookmaker you have or want to place bets with as to what they do with listed pitcher scratchings.
Responsible Gambling
Responsible Gambling is a key component of OLBG, and we have dedicated blogs and links on this subject including the one below.
How to be Sensible and Gamble Responsibly (Examples)
Author
OLBG Betting Experts Steve Madgwick and Nigel Skinner created and formatted this Baseball guide.
Steve Madgwick
Editor-In-Chief
Steve is our Editor-In-Chief with over 20 years of experience creating and managing high-quality sports betting content for OLBG & multiple other publications. An avid traveller, Steve has lived and worked in Gozo, Malta, and more recently Spain before moving back to the UK in 2022. Today Steve manages all content on OLBG and oversees our SEO. He was brought up with horse racing, attending tracks in the South East, most frequently, Goodwood, Fontwell and Brighton, and his knowledge of online slot games is unrivalled.
.👨🏫 Specialist Subjects🔬📚
🎱🏆 Steve is first a foremost a snooker nut, with a dedicated screen in the office for ensuring every event is showing when televised. A regular visitor to The Crucible for the World Championships, his favourite players are Dominic Dale and Judd Trump having followed the latter since seeing him play aged just 11. Fascinated with Statistics and the sport in general, he is also an amateur league player with a high break of 72
⚽ A Portsmouth fan for 40 years, Steve has seen action in every Division of English football and followed his team to Europe and the FA Cup final twice.
🏇 A former leading horse racing tipster on OLBG, those days are long gone, but he still lives for National Hunt racing and of course the Cheltenham Festival.
Nigel Skinner
Blog Content Manager
Nigel is one of OLBG's senior editors with 19 years of industry experience. Today he specialises in researching and writing about the betting angles to political and mainstream news stories and being the OLBG in-house expert on 'next football manager' betting markets.
Specialist Subjects🔬📚
⚽️👨💼 Nigel is an Arsenal fan first and foremost but has an unrivalled knowledge of English football managers at every level. Meticulously putting together our Next Manager articles, Nigel can quite possibly name you every manager of every club in the land, not to mention a pretty good eye for predicting replacements when changes happen.
📈📊📉 A long-time exchange trader and spread betting fan, Nigel is our go-to for advice on the subjects and uses them daily in his own betting activity.
🗳️💼 Finally, Nigel loves his politics and [some would say] has an unhealthy interest in the day-to-day events in the UK's political landscape, contributing to all our Political betting content and new pieces.
