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What Does ‘Run Line’ Mean in Sports Betting?

what-is-run-line-in-baseball

In sports betting, the run line is the term for a point spread, and it is used almost exclusively in baseball.

It’s a bet on the margin of victory, not just on which team will win. The standard run line is almost always set at 1.5 runs.

How the Run Line Works

When you bet on the run line, you are not just picking a winner. You are betting on whether the favorite will win by a certain number of runs or if the underdog will keep the game close.

  • The Favorite (-1.5): A bet on the favorite (e.g., Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5) only wins if that team wins the game by 2 or more runs.
    • If the Dodgers win 5-2, a -1.5 bet wins.
    • If the Dodgers win 3-2, a -1.5 bet loses (because they only won by 1 run).
  • The Underdog (+1.5): A bet on the underdog (e.g., Arizona Diamondbacks +1.5) wins in two scenarios:
    1. The team wins the game outright (any score).
    2. The team loses the game by only 1 run.
    • If the Diamondbacks lose 3-2, a +1.5 bet still wins.
    • If the Diamondbacks lose 5-2, a +1.5 bet loses.

Example: Run Line vs. Moneyline

Let’s look at a typical betting line for an MLB game:

TeamMoneyline (To Win)Run Line (Spread)
New York Yankees-180-1.5 (+110)
Boston Red Sox+150+1.5 (-130)

Here’s how to read this:

  • Moneyline Bet:
    • A $180 bet on the favored Yankees to win the game (by any score) would win $100.
    • A $100 bet on the underdog Red Sox to win the game (by any score) would win $150.
  • Run Line Bet:
    • Yankees -1.5 (+110): A $100 bet wins $110, but only if the Yankees win by 2 or more runs. You get better payout odds (from -180 to +110) in exchange for taking on more risk (they must win by a larger margin).
    • Red Sox +1.5 (-130): A $130 bet wins $100, as long as the Red Sox win the game OR lose by only 1 run. You get worse payout odds (from +150 to -130) but gain a 1.5-run “cushion” as insurance.

Why Bet the Run Line?

  1. To Get Better Odds on a Heavy Favorite: If you are very confident a strong favorite (like the -180 Yankees) will win easily, betting their -1.5 run line gives you a much better payout (e.g., +110) than the standard moneyline.
  2. To Add Insurance for an Underdog: If you think an underdog (like the +150 Red Sox) has a good chance to keep the game close but might not win, betting their +1.5 run line allows you to win your bet even if they lose by a single run.
  • Puck Line: This is the exact same concept in hockey (NHL), where the spread is also typically set at 1.5 goals.