Reading Baseball Betting Lines : A Comprehensive Guide for US Bettors
Baseball betting is one of the most popular form of sports betting in the United States. The game features a variety of betting options, and learning how to read baseball betting lines can give you an edge over the competition. This comprehensive guide to reading baseball betting lines will help you understand the tenets of this betting style and how to capitalize on the various probabilities.
How Baseball Money Lines Work
Money lines in baseball betting refer to a team’s chances of winning the game. They are typically expressed as an odds ratio or a money value, with the latter being the most common.
A negative money line (-) indicates the team is the favorite to win, while a positive money line (+) indicates an underdog. The money line is how much you stand to win or lose for betting on a team.
Understanding Point Spreads
Point Spreads are another popular way of betting in baseball. Unlike Money Lines, which are based directly on the game’s result, Point Spreads are based around the spread of points scored in the game between the favorite and the underdog.
Point Spreads are usually expressed as either a positive or negative number next to each team, which indicates the point spread from the original line. A negative number indicates the favorite is favored by that many points, while a positive number would indicate the underdog is getting those points.
Calculating Potential Winnings Via Baseball Parlays
Parlays are also a common form of betting in baseball. A parlay involves taking multiple individual bets and combining them into one bet. The potential rewards of a parlay increase exponentially with each additional bet, but the risks also increase exponentially.
To calculate your potential winnings from a parlay you can use the formula: Bet Amount * (Odds of the Parlay) – Bet Amount.
Making Futures Bets On Baseball Teams
Futures Bets are bets that are placed on an outcome that will be determined at a later date. When it comes to baseball betting, futures bets can be placed on which team will win the World Series, the American League Pennant or the National League Pennant.
These types of bets can be tricky, as the odds of a particular team winning the championship change as the season progresses. This means that, as the season moves on, the bets themselves often become more or less lucrative.
Knowing When To Bet On Baseball Run Lines
Run Lines are bets in which the spread between the two teams is bigger than the usual point spread. This increases the risk of the bet, but it also increases the potential reward. Run lines also reduce the affect of certain handicaps in the game, such as the weather or field size.
Run lines are most often used in cases where one team is heavily favored over their opponents, as the added spread of points means that the bet will still be relatively close. Run lines can also be used to protect against series losses, as they can be bet on multiple different matchups throughout the series.
By understanding these basics of baseball betting, you can become a more successful bettor. Knowing how to read baseball betting lines will give you the tools to make informed and confident bets. From Money Lines to Run Lines, this guide should give you a better understanding of the different forms of baseball betting, allowing you to make the wager that best suits your needs.