MLB Odds

The MLB season is one of the most popular sports seasons in the country. This page will explain where to find the best odds on MLB teams and how to take advantage of those odds. But the best tip we can give you is to take MLB predictions with a grain of salt. Preseason futures odds to win the World Series predict winners no better than chance. The Dodgers won in 2020 with futures odds that started at +385 during the preseason. But the Royals had +3,300 futures odds during the preseason and won the World Series in 2015.

And that’s just our free piece of advice. 

MLB Betting Odds

Current MLB World Series Odds

The 2021 World Series is scheduled for October 3. However, sportsbooks already have guesses about who will win. (Although, they’re probably more representative of who bettors think will win next.) 

View the latest World Series Odds.

Here is a little bit about each of the top 5 mlb teams favored to win the 2021 World Series.

The Dodgers went to the World Series three times in the last four years and won once. So, their odds of winning the World Series are unsurprisingly favorable. The Yankees have the most World Series appearances, so they’re unsurprising early predictions, too. But the other two need explaining. 

The Padres’ NL West rival, the Rockies, traded one of their strong players away, likely because of money. Wil Myers is also looking great this season, shaping the Padres into a potential World Series contender. 

The White Sox got Carlos Rodons back, which adds to an impressive pitcher roster. He’s not the best pitcher on that team, but he multiplies the White Sox’s pitching options. That’ll be useful in a long game and season.  

But MLB betting odds reflect where bettor money is going now. These preseason odds will likely look different at the end of the season. 

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 Wynn Bet, also have sportsbooks.

Then there are sports media companies, like FOX Bet and Barstool Sportsbooks, whose sportsbooks complement their sports writing and videos. All of them offer MLB lines, too. Almost two dozen states have legal sports betting. (Although, a few of them still need to get their sportsbooks online.)

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:

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. BetMGM is a free-for-all, and BetRivers almost always has the same odds as DraftKings. But, BetRivers has an impressive rewards system that sets it apart from DraftKings.

Bettors will also find different bonuses. Usually, they’re deposit bonuses and risk-free bets. Deposit bonuses reward bettors for making large deposits and playing through those deposits. Risk-free bets refund lost wagers. Usually, it’s only good for the first bet, so pay attention. 

Bettors seeking a sportsbook to commit to should keep its odds trend and bonus offer in mind. These are the most important short and long-term sportsbook features. 

World Series Betting Odds

Odds for the World Series are unique. After the World Series, sportsbooks cash in: 

• Game lines, including prop bets
• Futures bets

Futures bets placed at the beginning of 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: 

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 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. It’s not completely out of reach, but 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 pivot from futures bets to game lines.

MLB Game Odds

MLB game lines are sportsbooks’ bread and butter. Bettors will find MLB moneylines, point spreads, and over/unders (or 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. (We’ll get to why that matters in the prop bets section.)

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. However, 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.

And 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 turn. 

Placing MLB Prop Bets

Bettors have many choices for MLB prop bets. MLB player props are among the most common. MLB Rookie of the Year odds will be some of the easiest to find in the prop bets section. However, awards are common props, too. 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. 

And of sports developments, of course. 

However, there are weird prop bets, too. There’s a prop bet floating around with odds on the Cleaveland Indians’ new name. It won’t be cashed in until after 2021, but it’s worth watching for bettors who want to check out special props. 

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, these are only available for a short time under strict conditions. DraftKings’ $1,000 deposit bonus actually requires bettors to deposit funds, then gamble that money before getting bonus credits. 

However, smaller ongoing promotions offer odds boosts, parlays, and other special deals with increased odds. Boosts like DraftKings’ +400 offer on Giannis and Zion to record six or more combined dunks. It was boosted from +250. MLB fans will have to watch for these boosts’ equivalents. (Don’t be too gung-ho about boosts like these. The odds are in the sportsbook’s favor, not yours.) 

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 survey 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. 

Simple. 

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. Odds were -125 for any pitcher to get nine wins. (It looked like 8.5  wins to make sure a pitcher got at least nine to eliminate confusion.)

FAQs – MLB Odds And Picks