MLB – News and Information
Baseball takes centre stage over the summer months of the year, and there is a variety of ways in which punters can stake their money on the MLB. The league is one of the most competitive in world sport, and there are over 160 fixtures for every club involved in the competition. The teams play in the regular season before the league standings determine the sides that will progress through to the playoffs.
MLB Format & History
The MLB is the oldest professional sports league in North America. There are 30 teams involved in the competition. The teams are separated into the National and American leagues, with three sub-divisions in each. The five teams with the best records from both divisions progress through to the playoffs. The teams from the different conferences are kept separate throughout the playoffs, as they play against each other to determine to American and National League champions. The two winners from each Division will then square off in the World Series, which is a best of seven clash.
The National and American Leagues were completely different entities between 1876 and 1901, with the first World Series being played in 1903. The modern-day format was introduced in 2000. The sport’s popularity excelled during the 1920s, after a dark period in the history of baseball. Prior to that decade, the sport was renowned for negative headlines. That included the dead-ball era, which saw limited home runs, and then the 1919 World Series, which was later known as the Black Sox Scandal.
The 1950s and 60s saw the expansion of the divisions’ with new stadiums built. Nowadays, there are 29 teams from the USA, and one team from Canada that play in the MLB. The MLB holds the record for the biggest season attendance out of all the sports leagues in the world; with nearly 70 million spectators during the 2018 season. The New York Yankees hold the record for the most World Series championships, as they have won on 27 occasions. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals are the reigning champions as they won their first title last season.
How To Bet On MLB
There is a variety of different ways for punters to bet on MLB. These can be separated into the ante-post and individual betting markets. The formerly mentioned markets are the most popular throughout the season.
Ante-Post Betting
Division Winners
One of the most popular betting markets for punters to bet on throughout the season is by placing their stake on the team that they believe will win the American and National Divisions. This bet will last for the entire season and will be settled when the teams that will compete the World Series have been officially revealed.
The odds in this market will alter throughout the season depending on the form and injury records of the teams. Punters are rewarded with the returns if their selected team wins the Division that they are in. However, the stake will be lost if the team doesn’t win.
| Season | American Division Champions | National Division Champions |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Houston Astros | Washington Nationals |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2017 | Houston Astros | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2016 | Cleveland Indians | Chicago Cubs |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals | New York Mets |
World Series Champions
Another popular betting market for punters sees them put their stake on the team that they believe will end the season as the outright champions. The odds in this market change throughout the season depending on the form of teams. The World Series sees the two teams that are division champions go head to head in the best of seven series.
Should the punter select the team that is crowned World Series champions then they will be rewarded with the returns. However, if their team is knocked out or doesn’t win the World Series, then the stake is lost.
| Season | Winners |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Washington Nationals |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox |
| 2017 | Houston Astros |
| 2016 | Chicago Cubs |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals |
Individual Match Betting
With the number of games that are played throughout the season, there is always value to be had for punters when it comes to individual matches. There are some enticing markets to explore, and here are the most popular ones, and what you will need to do to win.
Moneyline Betting
The most common way to bet on baseball is by utilising the Moneyline. This market could see the New York Yankees have odds of -150 and the Boston Red Sox having odds of +140. The Yankees will be considered the favourites from these odds.
The punter simply needs to put their stake on the team that they believe will win. If their selected team does win, then they will be handed the returns. However, if their selection loses, then the stake is lost.
Match Totals Betting
A common betting market for all sports is the over/under market. That is no different in baseball as punters would lay their stake on there being more or fewer runs in a game than a benchmark set by the sportsbook. For instance, the benchmark could be 9.5. Punters can put their stake on over if they believe there will be ten or more runs, while they will put their stake on under if they believe there will be no more than nine runs. The bet is settled when the game has ended.
Runlines Betting
This is essentially the handicap market in baseball. The favoured side will start at a disadvantage in terms of runs, which they must overcome for the bet to be a winner. For instance, the favoured side may start the game with a runline disadvantage of -1.5. For this bet to be a winner, then the favoured side must win by at least two runs.
