How to Bet on Baseball

For most baseball enthusiasts, betting on baseball games is easy. But for those who have never placed a bet on a team, here are the basics.

Three Types of Bets

In baseball, there are the Money Line, the Run Line, and the Total.

• Money Line : Which team will win.
• Run Line : The point spread just like in football.
• Total : Number of scored runs.

The Starting Pitcher

All bets are refunded if the starting pitcher whose name is on the roster doesn't pitch in a game.

Over/Under Betting

The total number of runs scored in a game can make the difference for those who bet the totals. A bookmaker or bookie sets odds. For example, the Over and Under is the same at 7.5. As the bettor, you have to figure out whether the combined runs from both teams are over or under the bookie's number. So, if you think 8 is the number, then you would take the over. On the other hand, if you think 5 is the number, you would take the under odds.

Yankees vs. Mets Example

The bookie has given bettors an over/under number of 7.5, which is the combined number of runs scored by both teams. Bettors can wager on the game to go either over or under this number. If the final score falls precisely on the number, the wager is refunded. If the Yankees, the home team, are ahead, betting the total means the game must play for at least 8-1/2 or nine innings.

Understanding Winnings and Odds

If you bet $100 on the Yankees, the payout would be $150, the original bet plus $50 in winnings. But if you were to bet on the Mets, you would win $270, which is the initial bet plus the winnings based on the odds. It could be a minus or a plus number. The odds betting works like this: The plus odds are the winnings on a $100 bet. American odds of +120 would win $120 on a $100 bet. The minus odds would look like this: American odds of -120 means you bet $120 to win $100 profit (total payout $220).

Baseball Betting Steps