The 2022 MLB season is underway and giving sports bettors something to bet on practically every day of the season. Legal online sportsbooks will have odds for every market involving MLB from betting lines for every game to futures (i.e., World Series, AL/NL winners, Division winners, awards, etc.), and prop bets.
This page will keep you up to date on all you need to know about MLB betting odds!
Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers opened as favorites to win the World Series and about a fourth of the way through the season, they still are. But the New York Yankees are hot on their tail followed by the Houston Astros, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and the defending World Series champs, the Atlanta Braves.
MLB Betting Odds
Game odds will appear in the table below throughout the 2022 MLB season:
Current MLB World Series Odds
With every team playing 162 games, a lot can happen over the course of the season. While the odd boards have not changed drastically since Opening Day, there has been some movement amongst the top four teams (odds via DraftKings):
Los Angeles Dodgers (+450)
The Dodgers opened as favorites to win the 2022 World Series and have played accordingly. They have one of the best records in the league at 28-13, one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, and a solid offense. It will take a lot for another team to overtake them as the favorite.
New York Yankees (+550)
But if anyone can, it may be the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers got off to a slow start this year, but have since bounced back to become one of the hottest teams in baseball. If Aaron Judge can stay healthy, he could give the Yankees their first AL MVP since Alex Rodriguez (2007).
Houston Astros (+750)
Hate them all you want, but the Astros are one of the best teams in baseball. Justin Verlander is looking like he wants to win another Cy Young and it does not appear as if the team misses Carlos Correa at all.
New York Mets (+800)
The ‘other’ New York-based team has also been one of the best teams in baseball. They have the most wins in the NL with 29, they are tied with the Angels for the second-most runs scored in baseball, and the pitching staff has MLB’s seventh-best ERA (3.40).
Toronto Blue Jays (+1000)
View the latest World Series Odds.
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Sportsbooks With The Best Baseball Odds
If bettors just got sports betting in their states, they may be surprised to discover familiar names. Fantasy sports operators like DraftKings and FanDuel also run sportsbooks. Big casino brands like BetMGM or WynnBet, also have sportsbooks. Then there are sports media companies, like FOX Bet and Barstool Sportsbook, whose sportsbooks complement their sports content.
Virtually every sportsbook offers MLB lines. However, we’ve listed a few highlights below.
BetRivers Sportsbook
Visit: BetRivers >> Claim a 100% deposit bonus up to $250
BetRivers has many game lines and futures bets available for MLB bettors. But it also has profit boosts on MLB lines. It offers boosts on many different sports, like a 20% profit boost on baseball lines available every Monday. Expect similar promotions when baseball season starts.
Caesars Sportsbook
Visit: Caesars >> Claim a $1,001 free bet match
Caesars Sportsbook acquired William Hill in 2021, and took over its Liberty betting platform. William Hill odds aside, bettors can browse many MLB boosts at Caesars. The app offers boosted parlays and props. For example, it offered +1,400 odds on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to record a triple double at the end of January 2021. Bettors who like specials and risks should check Caesars Sportsbook for baseball odds.
BetMGM Sportsbook
Visit: BetMGM >> Claim up to $1000 in risk free bets
BetMGM offers a unique easy parlay builder as one of its first betting categories. Baseball fans will have many ways to bring their wildest betting ideas to life with this feature. If baseball wagers are anything like BetMGM’s basketball wagers, BetMGM will have the most diverse set of available wagers.
FanDuel Sportsbook
Visit: FanDuel >> Claim up to $1,000 in risk free bets
For bettors who like betting on the underdog, FanDuel is a promising MLB sportsbook choice. Its underdog odds tend to be better than most of the market. It’s not true every time, so bettors still have to check. But this is a good sportsbook for bettors who think the Pirates will be competitive.
DraftKings Sportsbook
Visit: DraftKings >> Claim a 20% deposit match bonus up to $1,000
One of the best-known sportsbooks on the market, DraftKings offers great MLB sports betting options. DraftKings odds tend to be most competitive on the favorite to win. This could be a good sportsbook for Dodgers fans!
States With Legal Baseball Betting
These states offer legal sports betting, either at retail sportsbook locations or at retail sportsbooks and online:
| Arizona | Arkansas | Colorado |
| Connecticut | Delaware | |
| Illinois | Indiana | Iowa |
| Michigan | Mississippi | Montana |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New York | North Carolina | Oregon |
| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Virginia | Washington | West Virginia |
MLB betting is available at every licensed sportsbook. However, MLB lines don’t look the same at each of them. Some sportsbook odds follow patterns that affect the value bettors get from their wagers.
For example, DraftKings tends to have some of the best odds on the favorite to win. FanDuel tends to favor the underdog. BetRivers has similar odds as DraftKings, but has an impressive rewards system that sets it apart from DraftKings. BetMGM doesn’t follow a specific pattern, so it’s a must-check for odds-hunters.
Bettors will also find different bonuses at their sportsbooks. Deposit bonuses reward bettors for making large deposits and playing through them. Risk-free bets refund lost wagers. Usually, it’s only valid for the first bet, so pay attention.
Bettors seeking a sportsbook to commit to should keep its odds trends and bonus offers in mind. These are the most important features for long-term bettors.
World Series Betting Odds
The two main types of World Series bets are:
- Game lines, including prop bets
- Futures bets
Futures bettors have a chance to make large gains if they bet at the beginning of the season. Futures bets placed early in the season will be larger than the World Series’ game line.
For example, let’s say the White Sox win the World Series this year. If you placed a futures bet on them with +1,000 odds, then you’d get $1,000 for every $100 you wagered. But if you bet on the Dodgers game line on the day of the World Series, you wouldn’t enjoy that same reward. A bettor who wagered $100 on a game line with -200 would only win $50. Obviously, anyone who wagered on the losing team would lose their stake.
But don’t confuse futures and game lines. Take our bet from above:
| Stake | Odds | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | +1,000 | $1,000 |
| $100 | -200 | $50 |
Futures odds, like the first bet, are set months in advance based on predictions from the previous season and any off-season trades, injuries, or developments. Game lines, like the second, are set only days in advance. The odds change with each game and significant team development. Sportsbook oddsmakers will change the odds after feedback from each game, important team developments, and sportsbooks’ cash distributions.
MLB Playoff Betting Odds
By the time the playoffs come around, MLB series odds will have closed on the most promising teams. If bettors’ futures bets look bleak at this point, that’s a bad sign. If a futures bet goes from promising to a long-shot, it’s time to focus on game lines.
Sportsbooks also offer new ongoing promotions throughout the playoffs. Bettors may find odds boosts, parlays, and other small promotions that reward bettors for runs their chosen player makes.
Watch MLB playoff series odds to learn when to pivot from futures bets to game lines.
MLB Game Odds
Game lines are sportsbooks’ bread and butter. Bettors will find MLB moneylines, point spreads, and over/unders (totals). Moneylines are bets on who will win. Point spreads are bets on the difference between the teams’ scores. Finally, over/unders are bets on whether the teams’ combined scores will be higher or lower than the score displayed. Each of these wagers depends on the game’s outcome.
While MLB futures are set months in advance, MLB game lines are set days before the game. Oddsmakers determine game lines by monitoring team performance. Injuries, trades, and other events that affect team performance can change the odds leading up to a game. Oddsmakers can also tweak odds to balance the amount of money wagered on both sides of the line. That way, no matter who wins, sportsbooks can come out ahead.
MLB Live Odds
Every major sportsbook brand and most smaller brands offer live in-game betting. They begin with the odds set before the game. Then, oddsmakers watch the game to adjust odds based on the expected outcome. If the Cubs were expected to lose at the beginning of the game, an unexpected comeback would flip the odds. But if the Cubs lost a player to an injury mid-game, that could change the odds, too.
As always, oddsmakers are making sure the odds don’t lose the sportsbook too much money. Pay attention to odds changes to get the best odds before they change.
Placing MLB Prop Bets
Bettors have many choices for MLB prop bets. MLB player props are among the most common. However, awards are common props, too. MLB Rookie of the Year odds will be some of the easiest to find in the prop bets section. MLB MVP odds will dominate many prop bet sections, too. Like game lines, these odds are set by oddsmakers with intimate knowledge of their sport.
However, there are weird prop bets, too. There was a prop bet floating around with odds on the Cleaveland Indians’ new name. These special props are worth watching for, too.
What To Look For On An MLB Betting Site
What bettors want in an MLB sportsbook depends on bettors’ MLB betting strategies. If bettors wager on specials, then they’ll need to find sportsbooks that offer creative parlays and many bet types. BetMGM would cater to this type of bettor well.
But if bettors rely on analysts’ MLB game picks, then a standard selection of MLB game lines will be enough. At that point, bettors will have to adjust their sportsbook picks to their trusted analysts’ picks. DraftKings is good for favorites, and FanDuel is great for underdogs. But always check the odds! These are trends, not rules.
MLB Gambling Bonus Offers
Most sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses, like deposit bonuses or risk-free bets. However, they come with strict conditions. DraftKings’ $1,000 deposit bonus actually requires bettors to deposit funds, then gamble that money before receiving bonus credits.
However, smaller ongoing promotions offer odds boosts, parlays, and other special deals. Boosts like DraftKings’ +400 offer on Giannis and Zion to record six or more combined dunks was boosted from +250. MLB fans will have to watch for these boosts’ equivalents. (Don’t blow too much money on these boosts. They can often be parlay bets in disguise, and they’re for the sportsbook’s benefit, not the bettor’s.)
How To Sign Up For An MLB Betting App
Most MLB betting tips describe how to bet. But understanding how to register for MLB betting apps is an undervalued area of expertise.
Finding the best app for bettors is its own strategy. Some bettors create accounts at every available sportsbook. But most people don’t want to shop the entire market for the best odds. Instead, bettors should decide what’s most important to them. Then, they can pick a sportsbook that fits their highest priorities most of the time. Bettors who want the biggest selection of MLB wagers should register at BetMGM. Underdog bettors should wager at FanDuel and favorite bettors at DraftKings.
Once bettors have picked a sportsbook, registration is usually easy. Registration gets broken into three steps that collect personal information and create a log-in. If bettors have a promo code, they’ll enter it during signup. After that, bettors deposit funds, click a set of odds to wager on, and start betting.
Types Of MLB Bets That Can Be Placed
There are many different kinds of MLB bets for bettors to choose from. They can be infinitely narrow in scope, but there are only a few main types of wagers bettors need to understand. If they get these, bettors will be able to understand any wager.
MLB Moneyline
This is a basic win/lose bet. If a bettor picks the Dodgers to win, then that bettor has placed a moneyline bet.
Easy.
MLB Betting Over/Under
Over/Unders are bets on a game’s combined point total. If bettors believe both teams will end the game over a combined score of six, bettors can place an over bet. Betting a team would score under six runs would be an under bet.
It’s often confused with point spreads, but this is a more basic wager than a point spread.
MLB Point Spread
The point spread is a bet on the point difference between the winner and loser. If bettors think their team will lose by less than three points, they can place that wager. Points are also displayed with half points to avoid ties. These bets also give bettors who want to wager on bad teams a shot at winning.
MLB Parlay
If bettors make one bet on one outcome, that’s a straight bet. If bettors combine two or more bets into one bet, that’s a parlay bet. Parlays are high-risk, high-reward wagers, and there’s no partial credit. All the bets must come through for the parlay to win.
MLB Futures
MLB futures betting is the riskiest way to bet. These are long-term bets on the outcomes of the entire season. Predicting these in advance is challenging, but rewarding for bettors who can pull it off.
MLB Prop Bets
Prop bets are fun bets that don’t have anything to do with a game’s outcome. MLB player props are some of the most common props throughout every part of the MLB season. Bettors will find MLB bets like how many wins pitchers get. But they’ll have to pay attention to how many games the prop bet covers. It might cover 60 games instead of all 162.
BetMGM offered this type of wager in 2020. The odds were -125 for any pitcher to get nine wins. (It was listed 8.5 wins to make sure a pitcher got at least nine to eliminate pushes.)
FAQs – MLB Odds And Picks
Yes. It’s a mainstream sport with a massive audience. It’s universally approved in state sports betting catalogs, too. Bettors will be hard-pressed to find a sportsbook that doesn’t have professional baseball lines. Some big brands may still have international baseball lines after the pandemic.
Oddsmakers. These are professionals who set odds for sportsbooks. They understand baseball well and know how to predict winners. However, they also know how to balance risk on either side of the line to make sure sportsbooks remain profitable. It’s a complex tightwire act that creates the odds bettors wager on.
Before the season begins. Futures odds are based on whatever data is available at the time. At the beginning of the season, that includes information about the previous season’s strongest teams. They can also take trades, injuries, and player information into account. Futures odds can be set early, so they often are to get early money in for next season.
Bettors have to compare sportsbook odds at the time they’re made available. Game lines follow predictable patterns, but futures don’t have those same easily identifiable trends. Bettors can compare sportsbooks themselves or google sites that do the comparisons for them. It takes a little leg work, but it only takes a few minutes.
Yes. DraftKings offers MLB odds for its American bettors. However, adventurous bettors can also find international baseball leagues to bet on. As of this writing, DraftKings offers baseball lines on the Caribbean baseball league, too. During the pandemic, Korean baseball was a sportsbook staple. Bettors will find MLB odds and so much more at DraftKings.
Yes. FanDuel offers live betting during MLB games. It’s a common offering, especially among big sportsbook brands. Live betting has its own section in FanDuel’s sportsbook. Bettors can switch between leagues in the live section, too. So bettors can start with live MLB betting, then move to different sports in the meantime.
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