At the surface level, baseball seems like an easy 6 MLB betting games. The batter will put the ball in play with ample time for him to run through the bases and score a run. But, on the other hand, the pitcher and the fielder will try to stop that. The team with the most points through all innings wins. It’s simple, right? However, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Many strategies are involved for a team to score a point. Not to mention the factors involved in those strategies. It’s also the same for betting, many factors and strategies are at play, so if you don’t know where to start, here are some MLB betting tips from professionals.
Check Out the Starters
In baseball, no one has more impact on the game than the starting pitcher. This is because the best hitters in the sport will only have the chance to hit the ball 4 or 5 times, while the defenders could only touch it not more than ten times in most games. However, the pitcher starts every single play that happens in the game, as the ball will be coming from the pitcher. Also, the starting pitcher will be in the game for most of the game.
That said, the pitcher is the greatest equalizer in the game, and as a bettor, it’s the one position you should constantly be checking out. If the other team has a killer lineup, but the other has an ace in the hole pitcher, they have a higher chance of winning the game.
Take a Look at the Umpire
Yes, even the umpire has an impact on the game. When betting on a game, you should always check the umpire. Some umpires have the reputation of having very tight strike zones. If you’re betting on a team with a pitcher who performs best with large outside corners, this kind of umpire might hurt your chances of winning your bet.
Avoid Big Favorites
Oddsmakers know that recreational bettors love to bet on the favorites all the time. As a result, the oddsmakers will often shade the public to have more interest in the underdogs. But what does this mean for you? This means that big teams like the Cubs, and Red Sox, will always be expensive because the public will bet on them even though the odds are -150, -180, or even -200.
Favorites have a chance of winning their games by 60%. Although that is still impressive, the payout is not. When you bet on the favorite, the payout is not that big compared to the underdogs. Also, when you lose with the favorite, the losses will be huge. Thus, avoiding big favorites is a good strategy in MLB betting.
Take Advantage of Underdogs
On the other hand, betting on the underdogs is more profitable, especially in the long run. If you’re a bettor who consistently bet on dogs with -150, -180, or -200, your winnings will be on a sub -50%, but even then, you can end your year with positive numbers.
Ride the Streaks
One of the essential things in baseball is that it’s almost always played every day with only a week or two for rest. The NFL generally has a week for the players to rest before every game, while the NHL only has a limited number of back-to-back games.
On the other hand, MLB can start from early April to October with only 2 weeks off. That doesn’t leave much time for a mental reset, which is why streaks seem to last longer in MLB. Thus, riding the streak is always a good decision.
Don’t Ignore the Value of Underdogs
If you have been watching MLB for a long time now, you should know the extreme parity of the league. The MLB is guilty of having the same teams as the top contenders yearly. This is mostly because big teams like the Yankees, Dodgers and the Sox have the financial resources at their disposal.
However, it would be best if you never forgot that even the big teams in the league only have about a 60% chance of winning their games. While that’s already impressive, the worst teams have about a 40% chance of winning their games, and that’s still a substantial percentage.
You should never lay an underdog with a -200 odds or higher. This is because when the odds are that high, chances are that the oddsmakers are raising the underdog’s stakes. This is because, after all, they are likely to win the game.
Final Words
The MLB has a lot of strategies and factors involved, which goes the same for MLB betting. If you’re looking for some tips for MLB betting, then you should try the ones in this article. These MLB tips are proven effective; many professionals use them, and so should you.
