Baseball Betting Sites in the US
Find all the information you need to know about betting on baseball including the best sportsbooks and types of wagers you can place.
Read our tips for baseball betting strategy to get the most out of your wagering and discover which sites have the best bonuses. On top of all that, we also rank the best baseball betting apps and show sites with the most favorable baseball bonuses.
Best Baseball Betting Sites in December 2022
Top Results for Virginia, US | # | Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit Site | T&Cs | |||
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FanDuel Sportsbook |
Up to $1,000 risk-free bet Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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Caesars Sportsbook |
Up to $1250 free bet Cashback |
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Play |
Use bonus code: CZR15
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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BetMGM |
Up to 1000$ free bet Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required. Register to claim offer
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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BetRivers |
100% up to $250 Match deposit bonus |
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Play |
Use bonus code: 250MATCH
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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DraftKings Sportsbook |
Bet $5 get $200 in free bets Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: $5 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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PointsBet |
2 risk free bets up to 2000$ Cashback |
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Play |
Use bonus code: WELCOME
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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7.
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Unibet |
Up to $500 free bet Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: $10 or more Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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8.
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WynnBET |
Bet $100 get $100 in free bets Cashback |
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Play |
Use bonus code: XUSBETTOP; Register to claim offer
Qualifying bet: Bet $100 or more at minimum odds of -120 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
Every baseball betting site has been thoroughly tested by our team of experts so that only the best sportsbooks are recommended.
All legal baseball betting sites are rated against strict criteria including how good their promotions are and the range of markets available.
Only sportsbooks with US licenses are listed as this ensures that you’re legally protected as the betting site has to abide by federal and state laws.
Baseball Betting Bonuses
There are plenty of bookmaker bonuses that are specific for baseball and also most welcome offers can be used on MLB or NCAA baseball if you want. The best offers usually come in the form of free bets or risk-free bets, allowing you to place wagers without spending your own money.
Many baseball promotions are available throughout the season, such as BetMGM’s same game parlay insurance that gives you your stake back up to $25 if one leg lets you down. It is rare that baseball promos are worth more than $25.
You should always check the main terms of bonuses to ensure you do everything right to qualify for the promotion, as those with the biggest rewards may require you to spend more than you’re comfortable with.
A $20 wager on the Toronto Blue Jays moneyline at -120 would normally return a total of $36.66 if they win. If that initial risk was with a free bet or bonus credit, the total return would be $16.66.
The table below shows the best sportsbooks for baseball bonuses, broken down into the major types available.
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Top Baseball Apps
Any US betting site worth their license offers both Android and iOS betting apps, allowing you to bet anywhere within state lines on your mobile or tablet.
Being able to wager wherever you are, even if that’s just in your own home or when you’re out and about, gives you more power over your betting.
Caesars Sportsbook has one of the best mobile apps in the US because of how easy it is to use, plus the fact that they have a large range of baseball betting markets pre-game and in-play.
Some of the best baseball promotions are available on BetMGM, including same game parlay insurance up to $25, whilst their live betting on baseball is excellent due to their fantastic odds and live stats on mobile.
FanDuel Sportsbook provides consistently strong baseball odds for both pre-game and live bets, as well as a great range of player props to get stuck into.
How to Bet on Baseball
Betting on baseball can look confusing at first but it’s pretty straightforward once you get your head around a few basics.
Learn what -110 means, what the run line is, and how player props work in this section, along with all the other information you need to begin baseball betting. All the basics and more are explained below.
How to Place a Baseball Bet
Learning how to bet on baseball looks like it should be complicated but in actuality, it is far from it. Once your wrap your head around the basic concepts, things become much clearer.
Make sure the sportsbook you decide to use is a legal and legit one, as well as being licensed to operate in your state.
Follow the instructions on the betting site to sign up, taking advantage of the welcome bonus if you want to do so.
You can usually only bet on baseball games that are played on that day, so you have to wait for a future fixture.
MLB stats are easy to find online and even a fairly rudimentary look at them can make the difference.
It should be relatively easy to find what you want to bet on as betting sites tend to offer fewer markets than on football.
If another betting site is offering the exact same bet but at better odds, then it makes sense to bet with them instead.
Choose your wager amount then wait for the game to be played.
How to Read Baseball Odds
If the number starts with a minus, that is how much you theoretically need to wager to win $100. As an example, if you put $120 on a market priced at -120, you would win $220 including your initial stake.
If it starts with a plus, that is the amount you would win from a theoretical $100 wager. If you punt on +250 and you wagered $100, you would win a total of $350 including stake.
You do not have to wager $100, that is just used as an example as that is how the odds system was built.
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Baseball Odds Comparison
Baseball odds are different at different sportsbooks, even on the same market in the same game, so you should always have a look around the legal betting sites in your state before you wager.
The table below shows that most sites offer fairly similar odds but the table below shows that FanDuel Sportsbook offer above average odds on the Cincinnati Reds to beat the St. Louis Cardinals. However, if you fancy the Cards to win then the other sportsbooks offer better odds on both moneyline and run line.
| Caesars | FanDuel | bet365 | BetMGM | |
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| Home – Cincinnati Reds | +180 | +188 | +180 | +180 |
| Away – St. Louis Cardinals | -220 | -225 | -220 | -225 |
| Home run line | +1.5 +115 | +1.5 +122 | +1.5 +115 | +1.5 +115 |
| Away run line | -1.5 -135 | -1.5 -146 | -1.5 -135 | -1.5 -140 |
| Run line margin | 3.9% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 4.8% |
Bet Types
Baseball is different from the other major American sports in the way that it is played, and as such it offers slightly different betting options.
Keep reading to find out about the main baseball bets you can make, or use the table below to jump to the one you want to read more about.
Run Line
Run line is the equivalent of the spread in football and basketball, with each team assigned a handicap either positive or negative.
Whichever side you bet on has that number of runs added or taken away from their final total, depending on whether you wagered on the favorite or the underdog.
The run line is usually set at -1.5 but can realistically be anywhere from -0.5 to -3.5, and unlike football and basketball, the odds are not always set at -110.
Example: Toronto Blue Jays are -1.5 favorites against Chicago Cubs. Toronto need to win by two runs or more to cover the run line, whilst Chicago can either win the game or lose by exactly one run to cover.
The run line is usually a half-point (like -2.5) but in cases where it is a full point (like -1) and the winning margin is that exact amount, this is called a push. A push returns your stake as if the bet was voided.
Total (Over/Under)
Total betting is how many runs will be accumulatively scored by both teams in a game, and whether that will be over and or under the projected number set by the betting site.
Overs is popular to bet on when a team is strong offensively or the game is played at a hitter-friendly stadium. Unders bets are common if the two teams have their best pitchers starting.
Example: Toronto Blue Jays vs Chicago Cubs has the total runs set at 8.5. If nine or more runs are scored in the game then the over would land, whereas if eight or fewer runs are scored then the under would be successful.
Moneyline
Moneyline betting is simply wagering on which team will win. The margin of victory doesn’t matter and there are no other conditions attached to moneyline betting.
Many bettors prefer moneyline bets over the run line because the odds are better and even the best teams lose around one-third of their games.
Example: Toronto Blue Jays are -200 favorites to beat the Chicago Cubs. A $10 wager on that would return a total of $15 including stake if the Jays win, regardless of whether it is 1-0 or 10-0.
Player Props
Props are bets that are related to the performance of a specific player. Compared to other sports, they are usually fairly limited in baseball to hits, home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts.
Unlike other sports, it’s rare that offensive players are substituted so your prop should stay alive for the entire game and extra innings also counts towards the prop.
Example: Max Scherzer’s strikeouts line is set at 7.5. You can bet on whether he will go over that mark by throwing eight or more, or if he will stay under it by recording seven or fewer.
Parlays
Parlay bets consist of selections from different games, all of which have to be successful for your bet to win. The return is higher than if you were to place the same stake on singles, but the chance of success is lower.
Recreational bettors like parlays because of the chance of high returns from a small stake, which makes them more attractive than singles in that respect. They are, however, much less likely to land than a straight bet.
Example: Blue Jays moneyline at -200, Giants moneyline at -135, and Braves -1.5 at -110 pays out at just under +400.
Half/Inning Betting
This is very similar to regular betting except the selections are usually settled within the course of a few innings, rather than over the entire game. ‘Half betting’ usually refers to the first five innings of a game but you should always check this on your chosen sportsbook as this can vary by betting site.
Some teams typically start games slowly and may go on to win, but you can still oppose them in the opening half especially if they’re facing an elite pitcher.
Example: Toronto Blue Jays are +100 to be leading after three innings. This pays out if they are winning after both teams have had three innings, regardless of the final result.
Baseball Futures
Baseball futures are bets that are based on the entire season rather than just the outcome of a specific game.
Also known as outrights, they tend to include markets such as player awards and World Series winner – both of which are settled at the end of the year.
- Champion – The team that wins the World Series in MLB or the College World Series in NCAA Baseball.
- Player awards – Most sportsbooks will offer the main awards like AL MVP and NL MVP, as well as the Cy Young winners. Some betting sites may even have odds for Silver Slugger and Gold Glove prizes.
- Win total O/U – Each MLB team is given a projected win total by the sportsbook at the start of the season and you can bet on whether they will win more or fewer.
- To make/miss playoffs – The MLB postseason is limited to just a few teams and many betting sites offer odds on each team making or missing out on the playoffs.
- To win division/conference – MLB is split into the American League and National League, with each league comprised of three divisions.
Baseball Betting Tips and Advice
Now you know what there is to bet on in the world of baseball and how to read odds, the last step is deciding what wagers to place. Before you do that, there are some final things to look out for that can help you to make sensible bets.
The following is only tips and advice, not a guaranteed way to win most or all baseball bets.
Baseball Live Betting
Live betting is one of the most interesting advents in recent years, giving bettors the chance to place wagers on games as they happen in real time – creating a world of possibilities.
Statistics, though incredibly useful if applied in the correct way, can only tell you so much. Sometimes even the best attacking teams can struggle to get on base in a game and you can use live betting to wager on them to get back on track.
Every MLB game is available for live betting and the great thing about in-play is that you get access to different markets than pre-game. Such markets available in live betting include:
- Moneyline
- Run line
- Total
- To get on base
- To record a hit
- To record 2+ hits
- To hit a home run
- To steal a base
- Result of next at-bat
The sportsbooks below have all been chosen because they have both good live betting and baseball, not just one or the other. BetMGM and PointsBet both offer great live odds on baseball, but they do suffer from a lack of markets with only around 50 offered compared to the average of 70.
FanDuel Sportsbook, meanwhile, provides an excellent choice of live markets for baseball and their comprehensive live stats help you to make the most informed decision possible. However, FanDuel’s live odds slightly suffer as a result.
BetMGM
PointsBet
FanDuel Sportsbook
How We Rate Baseball Betting Sites
The best baseball betting sites excel at multiple things and give you a bunch of good reasons to sign up with them.
It is not always easy to know which factors are important, especially for new bettors, and so we have outlined how we decided on which baseball betting sites are the best.
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SecurityAll the sportsbooks we recommend carry US licenses. Being licensed to operate in the US means your money is much safer than offshore betting sites, as the last thing you want is your money and personal data to be at risk.
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PromotionsPromotions that reward you for bets you would have placed anyway or ones that have low minimum qualifying wagers are the best ones. Baseball promos are usually worth up to $25 and are usually money back as a free bet for placing particular wagers, such as same game parlays.
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Mobile appsHaving a good app for both phone and tablet that is available on iOS and Android is crucial as this enables you to bet on the go or anywhere that isn’t in front of a computer. The best mobile betting apps have good navigation, make it easy to place bets, and are stable.
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Quality of oddsOdds are usually very competitive from the top betting sites in the US and so it is all about finding the sportsbooks that offer them most consistently on baseball. The better the odds, the better your returns will be.
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MarketsHaving more betting markets for baseball gives you more choice for your wagering so you don’t have to stick to basic markets. The best sportsbooks have upwards of 100 baseball betting markets, with the average around 70 per game.
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Live bettingLive baseball betting needs to be easy to access and simple to place bets on both desktop and mobile. Ideally, the best live betting sites have good odds and wide market variety, although odds is more important.
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Payment methodsThe more deposit methods a betting site accepts, the more attractive it is. Many accept at least one of PayPal, VISA, Mastercard, VIP Preferred, and Play+, as these are the most common ways for bettors to deposit and withdraw.
Baseball Betting Sites to Avoid
There are so many legal betting sites to choose from that, sometimes, offshore sportsbooks can find their way into consideration. Using a betting site that is not licensed in the US is definitely something you should not be doing.
Crucially, there’s pretty much nothing you can do if something goes wrong, and they often charge you exorbitant amounts for depositing and withdrawing money.
As well, these sportsbooks sometimes settle bets wrongly and refuse to grade it correctly, meaning you could miss out on winnings.
Bovada
BetOnline
MyBookie
Most Popular Baseball Leagues
Despite waning viewing figures, baseball does remain very popular in the USA. MLB is watched by millions and NCAA baseball pulls in its fair share of the audience.
MLB
Almost all baseball betting is on MLB, largely thanks to it being on television at convenient times compared to the likes of Korean or Japanese baseball.
The MLB season runs from April through to early October with the playoffs then running throughout the entirety of October and sometimes into November.
Each MLB team plays 162 regular season games for a total of 2430 games, giving bettors plenty of opportunities for wagering compared to other sports especially as games are played almost every day.
The postseason then gets even more exciting as games become more meaningful and betting bonuses are much more readily available.
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NCAA College Baseball
NCAA baseball is not as popular as other college sports but it still provides plenty of betting opportunities thanks to the huge number of teams available to wager on.
College baseball is actually less important to player development than Minor League Baseball, however there are still hundreds of NCAA baseball teams available to bet on.
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Conclusion
Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the US and the sheer number of games in both MLB and NCAA means that there is almost unlimited betting opportunities. MLB teams play 162 games each whilst college sides play 56 each in the regular season.
Betting bonuses for baseball are not as common as other major sports like football and basketball, but there are lots out there such as enhanced odds and money back as a free bet. However, not every US sportsbook offers baseball promos.
FAQs
How to bet on baseball?
You can bet on run line, moneyline, and total runs scored amongst many other markets. Sign up to a sportsbook that is legal in your state and deposit using your chosen payment method to be able to bet.
What is runline in baseball?
Run line is a positive or negative handicap given to whichever team you bet on. That team must win after that handicap has been applied for the bet to be successful. The run line is usually -1.5 but this can vary depending on which teams are playing.
What is a first half bet in baseball?
The first half in baseball usually applies to the first five innings, so all “first half” bets only relate to those innings and not the entire match. You should check with your sportsbook before placing a first half bet as some may have different rules.
How to read baseball betting lines?
The run line is the same as the spread in football and basketball, where the favored team has to win by at least that amount, or the underdog has to avoid defeat by that amount. Moneyline refers to which team will win the game whilst the total runs line allows to wager on whether the number of runs scored will be over or under.
How to bet over under in baseball?
The over/under applies to total runs scored in the game. You can bet on whether you think the total runs in the game will be more or less than the specified number. Over/under can also apply to player props, such as hits for a specific player.
