Many passionate sports bettors maintain that baseball is one of the easiest and most enjoyable sports to wager on. Surprisingly, however, it’s actually one of the least bet-on sports around!
The most plausible reason for this is that many punters simply don’t know how to bet on baseball, as there is no point spread and the odds used can seem quite complex.
Crown Oaks betting might seem simpler to grasp, but baseball can definitely be just as lucrative and exhilarating. However, betting and winning in baseball is actually quite simple – and we are here to show you how it’s done, even if you are a beginner!
Understanding the Money Line
The first and most important step for future baseball bettors is to understand the money line. Smart punters seldom give odds greater than -140 when placing bets on baseball, and they also always look for reasons to back the underdog.
If you put your money on nothing but the underdogs, you can generally win less than half of all your wagers and still end up ahead of the pack at the end of the day.
Then there is the run line, which is basically a combination of the money line and the point spread. The run line uses a consistent spread of 1.5 runs (although you may sometimes see it rise to 2.5 runs). The favoured team on the money line will also be the team that is favoured on the run line.
Considering Scored Runs
It is also important for baseball punters to consider the amount of scored runs that have been predicted in a game when looking at the run line.
The number of predicted runs is figured out by looking at the bookmaker’s over/under number on the game. These are just like the totals for any other popular sports; you will bet the total number of points (or runs in this case) being either over or under your bookie’s anticipated total.
The one difference here is that you might risk a little more than the standard -110 used in basketball and football totals when you wager in baseball. On the other hand, there will be cases where you will enjoy very favourable odds too, like +120 when you place a totals bet.
Looking at Innings and ERAs
For betting purposes, what takes place in extra innings is also important, both for run line and totals bets.
As a golden rule, strikeout pitchers tend to perform better in night time games and might be solid underplays, while off-speed pitchers who don’t register as many strikeouts tend to be great overplays when they’re tasked with pitching in daytime games.
Another essential statistic to check out before you go ahead and offer up your money is the Earned Run Average or ERA. This stat shows you how many earned runs (ie. runs that aren’t earned as the result of a fielder error) the pitcher achieves per nine innings.
By looking at the ERA of every starting pitcher in a game, you can gain a better understanding of how many runs their opponents may be able to score in a round. Place your bets accordingly, and always remember to manage your bankroll well and never to wager more than you can comfortably afford!