A Deep Look At MLB Bet Types: Moneyline, RunLine, Totals

Major League Baseball is one of nation’s oldest sports league and has a long, rich history in the sportsbooks. Gambling on baseball is as American as baseball and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. Every sport brings its own flavor to the sportsbook and baseball is no different.

Some wagers work well in one sport and some wagers work well in others. To be a smart sports gambler it is not only important to know the sport and teams you are betting on inside and out, it’s even more important to know the wagers you are playing. Baseball has its own set of wagers. The way the oddsmakers calculate the spreads and payouts is very unique to the sport.

It takes more than just knowing the game to be successful when wagering on baseball. Here we will look into the key wagers often played when betting baseball and how to play them properly.

Moneyline

The moneyline wager is an industry standard used in every sport. Whether it’s a team sport like baseball or individual like tennis. The oddsmakers will always establish a favorite and an underdog and set the odds accordingly. What makes the baseball moneyline unique is what influences the odds more than anything else and that’s the starting pitching. The pitchers are going to have the ball to start the game and try to hold it as long as they can.

Knowing the pitchers and how they match up specifically against the team they are facing is the most important part of the wager. A bad team still has a staff ace and how they perform versus that team is much more important than any overall record. Know the starters of the teams you like to wager on and you will not only find when they will be at their best but also when the odds are in your favor.

Runline

The Runline is completely unique to baseball as you can probably tell from the name. Big point spreads just don’t work in baseball where it is tough to score. Furthermore, there are no three-pointers, no touchdowns and extra points. There are only runs and they come in one at a time. That said, there are also a ton of one-run games over the course of a season so the best way to get the best odds is the runline.

The runline is always going to be 1.5 runs. The favorite will be giving and the underdog will be getting just like the moneyline, however, the odds will jump because of the points. A favorite giving the points will only be a slight favorite or even an underdog when the runline is added. Knowing when a team can cover the runs with good pitching, solid defense, and enough offense is key. This is not a good bet for the underdog, even with the 1.5 runs.

If you like an underdog to win the game, taking the points will cut your payout. Picking a favorite and giving the points will only increase your payout. Pick your spots on the runline.

Total

The Totals bets are another industry standard across all sports. The oddsmakers set an OVER/UNDER number and you take the over if you think the total score of the game is more than that number or the under if you think it will be less. Keep in mind, this is the total amount of runs scored by each team. Pitching again is key.

Baseball is a low scoring game and it is reflected in that number. This is a tough bet in baseball for that reason. Taking the under is the default because of this. Save this bet for pitching duels or teams in offensive slumps because it is just that tough to hit consistently.