How to Choose a Sportsbook for Betting on the MLB
To start betting on the MLB, you’ll first need to choose a sportsbook, a site that lets you bet real money on sporting events. There are now a growing number of legal and licensed sportsbooks available in the US, all of which offer odds on MLB games.
With so many sites to choose from, it’s important to know how to select the right site for you. Of course, you’ll be limited to sites that are licensed in your state, but you can still consider the following points when deciding where to create your account:
License and Security
Before you sign up, be sure to always check that the site is licensed in your state. Security is also important, with the best sportsbooks keeping your data secure using encryption.
Reputation
All sportsbooks should treat their users fairly, and the best sites have an excellent reputation. You can learn more about a site’s reputation by reading our reviews.
Ease of Use
Betting on the MLB should be simple and fun. Check how easy it is to create an account and find events before you join.
Bonuses
Bonuses help you get more out of your bets and have more fun while betting on the MLB. Check to see if your sportsbooks offers fun bonuses that are easy to claim before you join.
Odds
Odds make a big difference to how much profit you can win from your MLB bets. It's important to make sure your sportsbook offers odds that are better or equal to other sites.
Betting Markets
Most sportsbooks offer lots of betting markets on MLB, and this means more betting opportunities. Take a look at the standard and live betting markets before joining.
Payments
It should always be easy to make deposits and withdrawals. Check to see the accepted payment methods and whether there are fees or limits.
Mobile Access
The best sportsbooks can be accessed on mobile, letting you bet anywhere you like. In addition, there should be the option to download an app for easier access.
Customer Service
If you ever need help while betting, it's good to have a way to get in touch with the customer service team. The best sites offer 24/7 support.
Our MLB Sportsbook Reviews
To help you choose the right sportsbook for you, you can check out our betting site reviews. Our review team personally signs up to legal sportsbooks to evaluate them based on real data. They write up their report as a review, helping you learn more about what each site has to offer. We extensively research MLB sportsbooks, and as huge sports fans ourselves, we know what to look for. You can use our reviews to quickly compare different sites and choose the best option.
MLB Sports Betting Bonuses
The best sportsbooks feature betting bonuses and promos that you can claim to make your experience more profitable. Bonuses are a great way to boost your bankroll and minimize any potential losses. There are lots of different types of promos, though, and it makes sense to know How each works. The most common bonuses are welcome offers, which are only available for new users. However, you can also find lots of regular MLB bonuses too.
Common bonuses available for betting on the MLB include:
- Risk-free bets – This lets you bet without worrying about whether or not it loses. When you place your first bet, your stake is refunded up to a certain amount as a free bet if your bet isn’t successful. For example, if you claim a $200 free bet, you can place a bet of up to $200, and if it loses, your full stake is refunded. If it wins, you get to keep any winnings.
- Free bets – Sometimes known as bet credits, you can use these bonuses in place of real cash when placing a bet. Simply select the free bet in your betslip to use it. If your bet wins, you keep the winnings but lose the free bet. If your bet loses, you only lose the free bet instead of your real money.
- Matched deposit bonuses – With a matched deposit bonus, you can instantly increase your funds. When you deposit, the amount you add is matched up to a certain amount. For example, a 100% bonus worth up to $1000 will double your available funds. You can claim the full $1000 bonus by depositing $1000, giving you $2000 in your account.
- No deposit bonuses – These cash bonuses are incredibly easy to claim, as you only need to create an account. Once you’ve signed up, the bonus will be sitting in your account, ready for you to use and start betting, with no need to make a deposit first.
- Odds boosts – These can be applied to your betslip to increase the odds of any event, boosting the value you find when betting on the MLB or anything else.
How to Claim Your MLB Bonus
Before you try and claim a bonus, it’s important to read through the full instructions and terms. All sportsbooks will list the instructions clearly to make it easier for you, but you can also find full details in our MLB sportsbook reviews. Here’s a simple guide to claiming your betting offer:
- Sign up to your sportsbooks
- Use a promo code if required
- Make your first deposit
- Place a bet on the MLB
- Claim your bonus offer
Don’t forget to read through the terms and conditions too. These are important as they’ll affect how you can use the bonus and get the most value out of it. Some common bonus terms include:
Terms and Conditions | Example | Explanation |
Rollover | 15x rollover on your matched deposit bonus. | Wager your bonus fifteen times before you can withdraw the funds and any winnings. |
Promo code | BONUS25 | Paste this code into the required box making your deposit to claim the bonus |
Minimum deposit | Deposit at least $10 to claim your deposit offer. | Only deposits of $10 or more will unlock this bonus. |
Minimum bet | Make a bet of at least $20 to claim the free bets. | Your first bet needs to be $20 or more to unlock the offer. |
Minimum odds | Bet at -150 or higher to claim your bonus. | Your first bet needs to be at odds of -150 or more to unlock the bonus. |
MLB Betting Guide
If you’re new to the MLB or betting in general, it might seem confusing at first. Thankfully, it’s simpler than it looks, and we’ve written up this guide to help you get started. Here you’ll find everything you need to know to start betting on the MLB season, which runs between late March/early April and late September/early October.
How MLB Betting Odds Work
If you’re totally new to sports betting, you need to first understand what odds are and how to read them. Odds are an indicator of the relative probability of something happening while also telling you how much you can potentially win from a bet.
At US sportsbooks, odds are typically expressed with either a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-). For example:
- Houston Astros +120
- Chicago White Sox -140
The team with the + sign, in this case, the Astros, is the underdog. This means the sportsbook expects them to lose, but it also means you can potentially win more by betting on them if they win. Whenever you see the + sign, the number is how much you’d win if you bet $120. So, in this case, you’d win $120 if you bet $100 on the Astros and they win.
The team with the – sign is the favorite, meaning they’re expected to win. In this case, that’s the Chicago White Sox. Once again, you can work out your potential winnings, but this time the number tells you how much you’d need to bet to win $100. In this example, you’d need to bet $140 to potentially win $100 if the White Sox win.
Sometimes, you might get a market with two options with a – sign. This is because of the juice, which is the margin that sportsbooks take in order to make a profit. When the probabilities are very even between two options, it’s common to see two minus signs.
MLB Betting Markets Explained
Betting markets are the options that you can bet on. Aside from betting on which team you think will win the game, there are loads of different markets for MLB games. Here are some of the most common ones, with explanations for each:
Market | Example | Explanation |
Moneyline | San Francisco Giants +130 New York Yankees -150 | A choice of which team will win at the end of the game and after any overtime is played. |
Run Line | Toronto Blue Jays -1.5 +130 St Louis Cardinals +1.5 -150 | A run handicap is applied to the favorite, while the underdog is given a run advantage of the same value. If you bet on the favorite, they need to win by more runs than the handicap, while if you bet on the underdog, they have to avoid losing by that many runs. |
Total Runs | O 8.5 -120 U 8.5 +100 | A bet on how many runs you think will be scored in the game. You can be under or over a specific amount, and alternative lines are normally available. |
Innings | Total runs in the 2nd inning O 0.5 -105 U 0.5 -125 | A bet on what happens during a particular inning of the game. Typically there are nine innings in total. |
Futures | World Series-winning team | This is a prediction of what you think will happen at the end of the season. |
Game Props | Total hits O 16.5 -120 U 16.5 -110 | A bet on certain outcomes of the game, usually unrelated to which team wins. |
Batter Props | Alex Bregman home runs O 0.5 +475 U 0.5 -900 | Bets on specific outcomes relating to particular batters that are unrelated to the result. |
Pitcher Props | Josiah grey strikeouts O 4.5 -145 U 4.5 +110 | Bets on specific outcomes relating to particular pitchers that are unrelated to the result of the game. |
Parlays | The Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and New York Mets to all win | Parlays are where you combine multiple bets into one, increasing the odds. Each of the bets within your parlay needs to land for it to win. |
How to Place Your First MLB Bet
Now you know how odds work and the different markets available, you can start placing your first bets on the MLB. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:
- Choose one of the highly-rated MLB sportsbooks on this page
- Sign up, filling in your details to create your account
- Verify your ID, then make our first deposit
- Claim your bonus by following the instructions
- Find the MLB from the menu or by searching for a game
- Select the game you want to open up the available markets
- Choose a bet to add it to your betslip then enter your stake
- Confirm your bet and watch the game live to see the result
Betting on Live MLB Games
You can choose to bet before the game begins, but most MLB sportsbooks also let you bet live. Live betting is where you place bets on a game in progress, meaning you can watch the game and make a decision based on what you see. It’s a great way to find increased value, as the odds can change a lot throughout the game.
Most MLB betting sites that offer live betting include the following features to improve your experience:
- Live stats
- Live streamed games
- Fast updates
- Cashout on live bets
Cashout lets you take your profits from a winning bet before the game is over. This is a good way to guarantee your winnings if you feel like the result may end up going against you. It also lets you take part of your stake back from a losing bet, letting you rescue some of your money if you feel the bet is a lost cause.
Mobile MLB Betting
All good sportsbooks are fully compatible with mobile devices, meaning you can bet from anywhere, provided you’re in a legal state. You can use your smartphone or tablet to access the latest MLB betting odds and markets and never miss a betting opportunity again.
How to Make the Most of Your MLB Bets
The MLB is one of the most popular sports leagues to bet on. This is partly because of how many baseball fans there are across the country but also because there are a huge number of games on during the baseball season. The regular MLB season includes 2,430 games across six months. And that doesn’t include the postseason.
With so many games on, there are plenty of opportunities to find value, but it helps to follow a strategy. Here are our tips on making the most of your MLB bets to hopefully turn a consistent profit.
Research Each Bet
This goes without saying, but sports betting is a unique form of gambling where your research can make a huge difference to the amount of money you can win. While you might occasionally win from unresearched bets and guesses, you’ll normally always lose in the long run. Take your time to consider the data, and don’t place bets just for the sake of it.
Manage Your Bankroll
One of the most important things you can do when betting is to manage your bankroll carefully. Your bankroll is the money you have set aside for sports betting, and taking care of it will help you bet for longer while spending less. Most bettors divide their bankroll up into units and place a certain number of units for each bet. If you’re more certain of an outcome, you can increase the units, but you should always track your bets.
Check the Weather
Believe it or not, weather can have a big impact on the result of baseball games. Always check the weather forecast at the stadium before choosing your bets, as wind and humidity can affect run totals. If high winds are forecast, you can normally expect run totals to be lower than average. Cold weather affects hitting statistics, while increased humidity often means the ball travels further.
Promo Codes by Major League Baseball Team
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Atlanta Braves
- Baltimore Orioles
- Boston Red Sox
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox
- Cincinnati Reds
- Cleveland Guardians
- Colorado Rockies
- Detroit Tigers
- Houston Astros
- Kansas City Royals
- Los Angeles Angels
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Miami Marlins
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Minnesota Twins
- New York Mets
- New York Yankees
- Oakland Athletics
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- San Diego Padres
- San Francisco Giants
- Seattle Mariners
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Texas Rangers
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Washington Nationals
MLB Betting FAQ
Is betting on the MLB legal?
Yes, betting on the MLB is legal, though you should check with your local state laws to make sure it’s available in your state. A growing number of US states have now legalized sports betting, but some areas still have laws against it.
Can I bet on other baseball games too?
The vast majority of top sportsbooks offer odds on a wide range of baseball games, not just the MLB. This means that even if there are no MLB games on, you can usually still find a baseball game to bet on.
Are sportsbook bonuses available for MLB betting?
Yes, all of our top-rated MLB sportsbooks offer bonuses that you can claim and use to bet on all the latest games. Bonuses include bet credits, risk-free bets, matched deposits, odds boosts, and more. Before you claim, always read through the full terms and conditions.
What’s the best strategy for betting on the MLB?
The best strategy for successful MLB betting is to pick your bets carefully. Research each game and use the available data to make your picks. Be sure to check the weather forecast and look at player matchups if you´re going for pitcher or batter props.