MLB Betting Sites in the US

MLB is still a very popular sport in the US despite declining viewership, and the length of the season makes it ripe for betting opportunities.

To help you out, we have gathered all the information you need to bet on MLB as well as show you the best betting sites for baseball. We also pick the best MLB betting apps, explain how to read odds, and show sportsbooks with the top bonuses.

Best MLB betting sites in December 2024

Top Results for Virginia, US

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#	Sportsbook	Bonus	Payment methods	Visit Site	T&Cs
1.	FanDuel Sportsbook	Up to $1,000 risk-free bet Free bet				Play	Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
2.	Caesars Sportsbook	Bet $50 Get $250 in Bonus Bets Cashback				Play
3.	BetMGM	Up to 1500$ first bet offer Cashback				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. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (available in all of US) 21+ only. Please gamble responsibly. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.
4.	BetMGM	Up to 1500$ first bet offer Cashback				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. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (available in all of US) 21+ only. Please gamble responsibly. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.
5.	BetMGM	Up to 1500$ first bet offer Cashback				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. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (available in all of US) 21+ only. Please gamble responsibly. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (NY), 1-800-327-5050 (MA) 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.
6.	BetRivers	100% up to $250 Match deposit bonus				Play	Use bonus code: 250MATCH Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
7.	DraftKings Sportsbook	Bet $5 get $200 in free bets instantly Free bet				Play	Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim Qualifying bet: $5 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus
8.	WynnBET	Bet $100 get $100 in free bets Cashback				Play	Use bonus code: XUSBETTOP; Register to claim offer Qualifying bet: Bet $100 or more at minimum odds of -120 Wagering requirement: 1x bonus

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Every MLB sportsbook goes through intense testing by USBetting’s team of experts, ensuring that only the best ones are recommended.

Only sites with US licenses are recommended because this means they are legit sportsbooks that are secure and carry protection for you, as the betting site has to abide by federal and state laws.

All the MLB betting sites above are rated against strict criteria, which includes quality of odds, how good their mobile app is, and what payment methods are available.

Top MLB Betting Apps

All US sportsbooks have mobile betting apps for both iOS and Android, giving you the opportunity to bet on your phone or tablet within the lines of a legal state where a site is licensed. Apps can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store.

Placing MLB wagers on your phone gives you more freedom and allows you to bet at any time in any place, whether that’s if you’re just on the sofa at home or out and about.

The best MLB app comes in the form of Caesars Sportsbooks, who provide the largest range of markets for both pre-game and live betting and also have simple navigation that makes it easy to get to baseball betting.

Bettors who prefer to get the best MLB odds on the major markets should use FanDuel Sportsbook, who consistently have strong prices on many games and also have an excellent variety of player props.

BetMGM offer the leading MLB promos in the US and all are available to claim on the mobile app, making it easy to find a bonus and then use it immediately by navigating to the MLB section.

MLB Betting Bonuses

US betting sites don’t usually offer welcome bonuses that have to specifically be used on MLB, however they are unlikely to restrict you from using it to bet on baseball if you like.

There are also plenty of promos out there for registered bettors so your MLB betting is rewarded with bonuses like enhanced odds and money back offers.

One of the most popular MLB promos is FanDuel’s Dinger Tuesday. All you have to do is place $25+ on a “To Hit a Home Run” prop wager on any Tuesday MLB Game, and get a $5 bonus in site credit for each home run hit by either team in the game (max $25).

One thing to note about signup bonuses on legal US sportsbooks is that free bets and betting credits are not included in any returns. So a $10 wager on a +100 selection would normally return a total of $20, but if that initial risk is a free bet then the return will only be $10.

Best MLB bonuses

Best MLB betting free bets BetMGM Best MLB in-play betting promotions PointsBet Best MLB boosted odds Caesars Sportsbook

How to Bet on MLB

MLB betting is not as difficult to understand as other major sports like NFL and NBA simply because there are generally fewer markets available.

It is still important to understand how to bet on baseball by grasping the basic concepts, including reading American odds and what the run line is.

Once you’ve read this information and chosen a sportsbook, you’ll be well on your way to betting on MLB. You can use the table below to jump straight to a section.

• Placing a bet
• Odds explained
• Bet types
• Betting tips

How to Place a Bet on MLB

It can be difficult to find the best MLB betting sites if you don’t know what you’re looking for, given how many are available in the US.

There are some aspects of sportsbooks that are more important than others and there are some things you should know about placing a bet.

The guide below breaks all of this down for you in easy-to-digest chunks so all you have to do is follow the steps.

1

Choose legal US betting site

The first step is, of course, to find a legal US sportsbook that. All the betting sites that we recommend are both safe and legit.

2

Find the game you want to bet on

Sportsbooks usually only take bets on MLB games being played that day, so if you’re looking further ahead then you’ll have to wait.

3

Find the market

Research the game you want to bet on and navigate to the market on your chosen betting site.

4

Compare odds

You want the most bang for your buck so if your chosen site has worse odds than another, it makes sense to use the other.

5

Place bet and wait for it to settle

Deposit using an available payment method, decide how much you want to wager, and then wait for the game to be played.

How to Read MLB Odds

If the odds begin with a plus, that is the amount you would win from a theoretical $100 wager. If it begins with a minus, that is the amount you have to bet to win $100.

You don’t have to bet exactly $100 or the exact amount to win $100 – that is simply the format for the odds. Each sportsbook will have their own minimum and maximum wagering restrictions.

For instance, Cincinnati Reds are +180 to beat St. Louis Cardinals. A $10 wager on the Reds would pay out $18 in winnings plus the initial $10 risk if they win.

How to read MLB odds

-110 Wager $110 to win $100 profit -200 Wager $200 to win $100 profit +100 Wager $100 to win $100 profit +500 Wager $100 to win $500 profit

MLB Odds Comparison

Different sportsbooks provide different odds on the same MLB games, so it’s important that you get the best odds as this nets the best returns on winning bets.

This table compares the odds between four major US sportsbooks and shows that FanDuel has the best odds for the Reds moneyline but also the worst for the Cardinals, joint with BetMGM.

Things are similar on the run line with FanDuel offering slightly better odds on the Reds to cover +1.5 runs but their margin is noticeably worse. Higher margins means that the sportsbook theoretically makes more money on that market, which is passed onto you in the form of worse odds.

FanDuel Sportsbook’s margin on the run line market is 4.3%, making them worse overall than Caesars, bet365, and BetMGM.

You shouldn’t always be put off by high margins if you’re still getting the best price, as is the case with FanDuel’s odds on Reds +1.5. However, you should steer clear if you wanted the Cardinals -1.5 as their price of -146 is significantly worse than the -135 available at Caesars and bet365.

Popular Bet Types

There are a few different bet types used in MLB betting and the great thing is that these same ideas are then applied to basically every other market.

All sportsbooks offer the MLB bet types that are covered below and they all require the same result to be successful, although certain bets may be worded differently on different sites.

Using Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah’s strikeouts line as an example: some sites will list this as over/under 6.5 strikeouts and some as 7+ or under 7. These mean the same thing but it can get confusing. If in doubt, contact the sportsbook’s customer support and they will be able to help you out.

MLB Game Betting

The majority of MLB wagers taken by betting sites are on individual games, specifically on certain markets which you can find out more about below.

All of the bets below are available at every legal MLB sportsbook in the US, although it’s not a fully exhaustive list so you may also see other wagers to bet on.

Moneyline, spread, and totals are the most popular bets and are considered to be the most important lines by sportsbooks as these three markets have the highest volume of bets taken.

• 

  Run line

  The run line is a handicap applied to whichever team you bet on. As baseball is quite a low-scoring game compared to the likes of football and basketball, the run line tends to be around -1.5 or -2.5.

  After the game has been played, the run line number is subtracted from the team with the negative handicap (the favorite). If the team you bet on has the most runs after that, your bet wins. If it is a tie, it is called a push and you get your stake back.

  For example, Toronto Blue Jays are -1.5 favorites over the Chicago Cubs. If the Jays win by two runs or more then they have covered the run line. If the Cubs lose by exactly one or win the game, they have covered.

• 

  Total (Over/Under)

  Sportsbooks assign each MLB game a projected number of runs scored by both teams combined and you can bet on whether the actual number will be over or under it.

  As an example, Toronto Blue Jays vs Chicago Cubs has a run total of 8.5. A bet on the overs side needs nine runs or more to be scored, whilst a wager on under requires eight runs or fewer in the game.

• 

  Moneyline

  Moneyline betting is which team will win the game. No handicaps or other conditions are applied to this wager. The moneyline odds works in tandem with the run line, so the favorite on the run line will have the shortest moneyline odds.

  Many bettors like moneyline over run line for underdogs because the odds are better and even the best teams lose one-third of their regular season games.

• 

  Player Props

  How well a player will perform in a given game. Props, short for propositions, are limited in MLB compared to NFL and NBA, with betting sites usually only usually having markets on hits, home runs, and strikeouts.

  For instance, Max Scherzer’s strikeouts line is 7.5. If he records eight Ks or more then the over has won, whilst the under wins if he totals seven or fewer.

• 

  Parlays

  A parlay is a single bet that consists of selections from two or more games. This allows you to get a greater return from a lower stake compared to betting on each leg separately.

  The caveat is that the chance of winning is lower than if you were to bet on each selection as a single

MLB Futures Betting

MLB futures are bets that take the whole season into account rather than just being for a specific game. They are also known as outright bets.

These futures are usually settled either at the end of the regular season or the end of the playoffs, so you have to be patient if you place outright wagers on MLB.

Some sportsbooks allow you to parlay various futures bets together, such as division winners, which creates greater returns and allows you to have less money tied up through the course of the season.

• 

  World Series Winner

  This is betting on which team wins the World Series. Sportsbooks usually open this market as soon as the previous season’s World Series finishes and is available right through to the end of the postseason.

  World Series favorites open up at around +500 so even wagers on the shortest-odds teams can net you a handsome payout if they go all the way. However, casual bettors prefer to bet on teams that are slightly further behind, around +1500 or longer, as this requires smaller stakes for a nice win.

• 

  Player Awards

  There are a variety of MLB awards given out at the end of the season, including MVP and Cy Young award. Most betting sites only offer those two but some may have markets for Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.

  Picking out players who will perform well at the start of the season is risky and there is a lot of recency bias as many of these awards are voted on by the media, rather than going on stats. As such, it’s usually worth waiting for the first 50 games or so to be played before betting.

• 

  Win Total (Over/Under)

  Sportsbooks assign each team a projected win total for the season and you can bet on whether they will win more or fewer games. Both sides are priced at -110 and some sites allow you to parlay multiple teams’ totals.

  Many win total bettors like to parlay because they don’t like waiting months for a return on a single -110 bet, notably because the winnings is less than the stake. This market closes when the season starts so you can only wager on it before the first game is played.

• 

  To Make/Miss playoffs

  Only six teams from each of the American League and National League qualify for the postseason. Sportsbooks provide odds on every team’s chances of reaching the playoffs, which can range from as short as -1000 for the best teams all the way to +5000 for the worst teams in the MLB.

  This market is available throughout the season so if a team is playing significantly better or worse than expected, you can take advantage of that with this type of wagers.

• 

  To Win Division/Conference

  MLB is divided into the AL and NL, with each of those split into three divisions. The winner of each division is guaranteed a playoff spot but that doesn’t necessarily mean a team has to be good, they just have to be better than the other four in their division.

  Conference betting is more difficult as you’re essentially wagering on a team to reach the World Series. The odds for conference winners are around half of the price for World Series winner, so a team that is +1000 to win the World Series would be around +500 to win their conference.

MLB Betting Tips and Advice

It is not enough to know how to bet and what each market means – you also need to know what to bet on.

The following tips can help you out with analyzing games but this is just general advice, not a silver bullet to guarantee a winning bet.

You should consider these tips before placing any wager on MLB as they will help you in the long run and give you a better chance of winning bets.

MLB Live Betting

Live betting adds a new dimension to betting. You can place wagers as the game is being played, unlocking potential for new markets that aren’t available pre-game and allowing you to bet based on the run of play.

Is one team’s pitcher struggling to find the strike zone? Is the umpire being stingy with strikes? These are things to potentially look out for when betting on live games.

The best sportsbooks offer upwards of 100 live MLB markets with the average site having around 70, so there’s plenty to get stuck into in every game.

Some of the major markets available on MLB 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 been chosen because they’re good at both live betting and MLB betting, making a perfect partnership for in-play baseball.

PointsBet offer some of the best odds in the business, often boasting leading odds on many MLB games, but they do have fewer markets to wager on than other sites.

The same is true of BetMGM but they also have excellent live stats, allowing you to make the most informed MLB bet possible when time is of the essence.

If you’re looking for market variety, then FanDuel Sportsbook is the way to go as they offer the most choice for MLB bets, but their odds are slightly worse than other sportsbooks as a result of this.

PointsBet

Competitive odds

Easy to use

Not many markets

PointsBet review

FanDuel Sportsbook

Lots of live stats

Good range of markets

Worse odds

FanDuel Sportsbook review

BetMGM

Competitive live odds

Lots of stats

Fewer markets than others

BetMGM review

MLB Top Events

Each MLB team plays 162 games in the regular season but things really ramp up from a betting standpoint when the playoffs roll around.

Only 12 of the 30 MLB teams qualify for the postseason and with much more on the line than a standard regular season game, there’s always better odds and more promotions to take advantage of.

The events listed below are the most important in the world of MLB. As a result, sportsbooks offer extra promos and more competitive odds during these events because there’s more riding on them than the regular season.

• 

  World Series

  The World Series is a best-of-seven series between the best team from the American League and best team from the National League, crowning the overall champion.

  Sportsbooks provide plenty of betting specials and bonuses for each game of the World Series, such as boosted odds on certain players to hit a home run.

• 

  AL/NL Championship Series

  The two ‘semi-finals’ of the postseason, these are best-of-seven series for a place in the World Series. They are sometimes shortened to ALCS and NLCS.

  It’s common for sportsbooks to offer boosted odds across both series, such as a player to hit a home run in ALCS Game 1 and a player to do so in NLCS Game 1. There are also promos available that reward you with a free bet for a game if you place a wager of a certain amount on one game.

• 

  MLB All-Star Game

  MLB takes a break in July for the All-Star Game between the AL and NL. The best players are voted on by fans and the winning League gets home advantage in the World Series.

  The All-Star Game sees a lot of rotation for both offense and defense so there’s not huge betting value in it. Sportsbooks offer more markets than usual for the entire team, such as team total strikeouts, rather than just specific players, like Max Scherzer to record over 1.5 strikeouts.

How We Rated MLB Betting Sites

MLB betting sites always give you lots of reasons to sign up and that can make it difficult for new bettors to weed out the strong from the weak.

To pick the best MLB sportsbooks, our team of baseball experts use set criteria which is listed below to help you choose your own.

Each betting site is different and none is perfect on every aspect. For example, no sportsbook has the most MLB markets, the best odds, and the best promotions, so mostly it’s about being good rather than great.

As well, not all bettors look for the same thing in a site so you should use the criteria below to find sportsbooks that are consistent across all factors and excel in the ones that are most important to you..

• 

  Security

  All our recommended sportsbooks have US licenses which means they are legal and safe. Being licensed to operate in the US also ensures your money is safe and gives you legal protection if a betting site fails to pay you.

• 

  Promotions

  All good MLB sportsbooks have promos for registered bettors. They are usually money back as a free bet for placing particular wagers, such as same game parlays, and worth up to $100. Sportsbook welcome bonuses can also be used on MLB and these are worth up to $2,000 depending on the site.

• 

  Mobile apps

  A sportsbook should have a good mobile app for both phone and tablet that’s available on Android and iOS, as this enables you to bet on the go. The best mobile betting apps make it as easy as possible to find the MLB section and place bets.

• 

  Quality of odds

  The top MLB sportsbooks have strong odds that rival each other. No betting site has the best prices on every game so this is all about finding ones that are consistently good across the board, rather than always being the best.

• 

  Markets

  The more markets that are available at a sportsbook gives you greater choice for betting. Top MLB sportsbooks have over 100 markets available on every regular season game, with the average around 70.

• 

  Live betting

  Live MLB betting lets you wager whilst a game is going on so we always look out for sportsbooks that have a good range of in-play markets and crucially don’t suspend odds very often.

• 

  Payment methods

  Being able to deposit to MLB betting sites using your preferred method is always ideal. It’s rare to find a sportsbook that provides for every bettor having popular methods like PayPal, VISA, Mastercard, VIP Preferred, and Play+ for both depositing and withdrawing.

MLB Betting Sites to Avoid

As well as the myriad of legal MLB betting sites, there are also lots of unlicensed ones to be wary of. These sportsbooks are based outside of the US and because they have not been approved by US states, they are unsafe.

There is very little you can do if something goes wrong, such as if they refuse to pay out or unjustly withhold your money, and also deposits are subject to high fees.

The promotions available on these sites are also extremely unfriendly and it’s common for bettors to have to wager thousands to satisfy bonus requirements.

Bovada

No US license

High deposit and withdrawal fees

No app

BetOnline

No US License

High minimum deposit

Withdrawal fees

MyBookie

No US License

High fees on deposits and withdrawals

Withdrawals take over a week

MLB History

MLB is the oldest major professional sports league in the world, beating out NHL by 14 years, and so has an incredible amount of history that dates back over a century.

Baseball itself goes back even further and there were lots of competitions before MLB, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that a league really started to take hold and become successful.

National League forms

The National League is founded in February 1876 and quickly became the leading baseball organization in the US.

American League founded

Some 25 years after the NL, the American League is formed to create a major rival for baseball in America.

AL and NL sign agreement

The AL and NL sign the National Agreement which put both leagues in equal standing and also birthed the idea of the World Series.

Boston Americans win first World Series

Boston Americans beat Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 in a best-of-nine series to be crowned the first ever World Series champions.

Jackie Robinson breaks the color line

One of the most important moments in MLB history, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to play in the league when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

MLB builds revenue

MLB posts record gross revenue figures of $10.7bn in 2019, making the league the second-wealthiest behind the NFL.

Conclusion

Despite falling viewership, MLB still remains one of the biggest sports leagues in the US and each team playing 162 games presents plenty of opportunities for betting. Factor in the postseason and those numbers increase further.

Live betting is available on every MLB game with over 100 markets to choose from at top baseball sportsbooks, with plenty of bonuses to get stuck into such as enhanced odds and boosted returns.

The top mobile apps are also some of the best MLB sportsbooks in general, so you should always consider BetMGM, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Caesars Sportsbook for your pro baseball wagering. These sites provide not only a good mobile experience but also have strong odds and a wide variety of markets.

FAQs