MLB Betting Basics, Handicapping And Money Line Strategies

Handicapping Major League games is unique from handicapping other sports.  Because of the tremendous impact that starting pitchers have on the odds, it can be a little overwhelming when trying to pick winners on the diamond.

We’ve compiled a great list of handicapping articles, including tips for beginners and a few nuggets for the serious player.  This list is updated often, so be sure to check back for more!

Major League Baseball Betting – The Basics

• Beginners Guide – A great place to start if you are looking for general, tried-and-true tips for handicapping ballgames.
• Basics – The basics for betting on games as it differs from your typical wagering experience.
• How to Bet – More on understanding how typical wagers work.
• Understanding Run Lines – Run lines offer a different choice of strategy.  Read this article if you want to learn more about how they work.
• Money Lines Explained – Money lines are most basic type of bet, and this article explains to beginners exactly what money line bets are.
• Rules – A good place to learn all about the basic rules to be aware of.
• Totals – Wise methods for wagering on run totals and the basics of handicapping for under/over betting.
• More Totals Tips – Yet another perspective on run, or O/U totals.
• Biggest Mistakes – The biggest pitfalls and how to avoid them.
• Spring Training Games – If you are considering wagers on on spring training games, read these tips on handicapping them (as well as the ones below!).
• More Spring Training Tips – An even deeper look at how to handicap the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues.
• Tips – Some basic tips you can use to get started picking MLB games.
• B-Ball Betting – This piece details some good spots to bet on the internet.
• Preparing for the MLB Season – This post talks about what kind of preparation you should take before the season in order to maximize your in-season profits.
• Stats – Our national pastime, maybe more than any other sport, scrutinizes statistics.  This article tells you which stats are important when considering a game to bet on.
• Weather – Exploring how field conditions and temperature can impact ballgames. You use the information to your advantage.
• Parlays – Introduction to parlays.
• Calculate Parlay Returns – Method for calculating returns on diamond parlays.  Due to the money line, parlay odds will work differently for Major League Baseball than it does for spread-based sports.

Situational MLB Sports Book Handicapping

• Home Field Advantage – An in-depth overview of what home-field advantage really means.
• Good Pitching vs Good Hitting – Who has the advantage when a good hitting team features a good pitcher?
• Big Favorites – Big favorites are always a strong lure for bettors, but they come with a huge amount of risk.  This summary talks about why you should be careful with fat minus-lines.
• First Inning Bets – A look at what first inning bets are and whether or not they are worth considering.
• First 5 Innings Bets – It can be frustrating when you bet a team because of their starting hurler, who does well, but the bullpen ends up blowing it for him.  This post talks about gambling on just the first 5 innings of a given ballgame.
• Interleague Play – Interleague play has added a new dimension.

Winning Baseball Gambling Strategies & Systems

• Underdog Betting Systems – Underdogs offer some unique opportunities.
• Strategies – There are several tactics that have worked over the years which should be taken into consideration before you place your bets.
• Revenge Systems – Revenge can be a powerful motivating factor for clubs in certain situations.
• Last 3 Starts – What you can take from a pitcher’s last 3 starts to help you determine their performance the next time out.

Advanced MLB Handicapping

• Pitching Correlations with Runs Allowed – A detailed look at which pitching stats correlate most with giving up runs.
• Hitting Correlations with Runs Scored – Statistical analysis at what offensive statistics are most important for winning.
• xERA vs ERA – ERA doesn’t tell the whole story when you are talking about a pitcher’s effectiveness.  This article compares ERA to the more predictive xERA.
• Overnight Lines – A look at whether or not overnight lines can give you an advantage over waiting until the next day’s odds are released.
• Reverse Line Movement – An exploration of what reverse line movement is and isn’t with regard to money lines.
• Starters & Team Records – Here’s a tactic to handicap starters in correlation with their team’s record.
• Pitch Counts – The impact that a previous start pitch count can have on a pitcher’s upcoming game.
• Key Numbers for Totals – A look at the most common run-total output of 2 teams in a ballgame.
• Why to Monitor Home Plate Umpires – Yes, umpires do have a significant impact on baseball games.
• 1-Run MLB Games – What you should know about 1-run ballgames.
• Hedging Money Line & Run Line Bets – The basics of hedging money line and run line wagers.

Links To Pro Handicappers & Sports Books

• Dime Line Sportsbooks – Nothing is more important than finding a sports book that offers dime lines for baseball.
• Best Baseball Sportsbook – We track the books and keep this page up-to-date every season!
• More Top Baseball Sportsbooks – Remember, sign in for accounts at multiple books so that you can shop for the best possible scenarios.
• Best Baseball Handicappers – These guys have proven season after season that they know how to beat the odds.

Why, that’s a virtual dictionary at your disposal! Be sure to peruse and peruse all of the links relevant to your preferred style of wager before making a pick and scoring a bundle.