How to Bet on Baseball Online 2025
Author
Reviewed By
Last Updated: 22 July, 2025
Baseball betting is one of the most popular ways to add excitement to the season.
Whether you're new or experienced, learning how to bet on baseball games gives you a better shot at making smart picks.
How to bet on baseball games: 5 steps to get started
How to bet on college baseball
College baseball betting follows many of the same rules as MLB, but there are a few key differences to keep in mind.
Understanding how to bet on college baseball starts with knowing the schedule, talent gaps, and tournament format.
Fewer games, bigger gaps: Unlike MLB, college teams often play in short bursts; weekend series or conference play. The difference in talent between top teams and weaker programs can be wide, which means blowouts happen more often.
Pitching depth matters more: College teams rarely have strong bullpens. Once a starter exits, late-inning runs are common. This can affect run line and total bets, especially on underdogs.
Weather and location play a role: Many college teams play in warmer climates early in the season. Wind and field size also vary more than in pro parks, which can influence scoring.
Focus on postseason formats: College baseball futures bets often revolve around the NCAA tournament. Bettors can pick College World Series winners, regional champs, or game-by-game outcomes during the playoffs.
Find a book that offers college lines: Not every sportsbook lists college baseball markets. Look for platforms that support regular-season and postseason action before placing bets.
Four easy steps to betting on college basketball online
Types of baseball bets
Before betting on MLB or college games, it’s important to know the most common types of baseball bets.
These are the core options you’ll see across all sportsbooks.
Moneyline: This is the simplest bet, just pick the team you think will win. If a team is listed at -140, you’d bet $140 to win $100. If it’s +120, a $100 bet would win $120.
Run Line: The run line is baseball’s version of a point spread. It’s usually set at 1.5. A favorite needs to win by 2 or more runs to cover the spread, while an underdog can lose by 1 and still cash.
Over/Under (Total): You’re betting on the total number of runs scored by both teams. If the line is 8.5, the Over wins with 9 or more runs. The Under hits if the total stays at 8 or fewer.
Prop Bets: Props are bets on player or team stats, like strikeouts, home runs, or total bases. These can be great for bettors who follow specific players or matchups.
Parlays: A parlay combines multiple bets into one. All parts must win for a payout, but the potential return is much higher. Parlays are popular but risky, especially in baseball.
Futures: Futures bets cover long-term outcomes. These include World Series winners, MVP picks, or which team will win a division. You can also find futures for college baseball tournaments.
Prop bets and futures in online baseball betting
Prop bets and futures give you more ways to bet beyond just picking winners.
They’re especially useful if you follow certain players or teams closely.
Player Props
These bets focus on individual stats. For hitters, you can bet on things like total bases, hits, runs, or RBIs.
For pitchers, common props include strikeouts, walks, or outs recorded.
Some sportsbooks offer combo props, like hits + runs + RBIs.
If a player goes 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, that’s three total on a line set at 2.5, so the Over hits.
Team Props
Team-level props include things like total runs scored or whether a team will hit a home run.
You might also see short-term props like “Will this team score in the first inning?”
Futures Bets
Futures are long-term bets on outcomes that take weeks or months to settle.
In the MLB, that could mean picking the World Series champ or MVP.
In college baseball, you might bet on a team to make the College World Series or win its conference.
These bets usually offer longer odds, which means bigger potential payouts, but more risk too.
Live and in-game betting
Live betting lets you react in real time.
We use it when the pregame line didn’t offer value, but the game flow gives us a better shot.
If a starter looks shaky early or a bullpen is burned out, live odds can shift quickly.
That’s where we step in.
We’ve also found value in betting totals after watching how the first few innings unfold.
Some online sportsbooks now offer micro betting, like guessing the outcome of the next pitch or at-bat.
It’s fast-paced and risky, so we use it sparingly and only when we spot a clear edge.
Live betting keeps you locked in, but don’t chase every swing.
Pick your spots and bet with a plan.
Tips for smarter baseball betting
We’ve spent years betting on baseball, tracking stats, testing systems, and learning from wins and losses.
These are the tips we use ourselves on MLB betting sites because they’ve worked.
Start with the Starting Pitchers: This is always our first check. Pitchers drive game outcomes more than anything else. We look at recent form, pitch count trends, and how they match up against the opposing lineup.
Know the Parks and Weather: Some ballparks play small, others play big. We’ve seen how a warm night with wind blowing out can turn a pitcher’s duel into a slugfest. Always check the weather and park factors before betting totals.
Play the Matchups, Not the Names: Big-name teams or star players can skew public opinion. We’ve found better value backing teams with the right matchup, not just the biggest names. Splits against lefties or righties can tell you a lot.
Watch the Line Moves: We track opening lines and where they move. If sharp money pushes the line early, it’s often for good reason. We don’t blindly follow, but it’s always worth a second look.
Stick to a Budget: No one wins every day. We set a weekly betting limit and stick to it, even during a hot streak. Bankroll discipline is the difference between betting long-term and burning out.
Dig Into Props and Futures Early: We’ve had the most success with player props and early-season futures, before markets adjust. We use expected stats like xBA, hard-hit rate, and pitch velocity to spot breakout trends before the odds catch up.
Stick to these top MLB betting strategies and you'll have a great base to start playing.
Frequently asked questions
You can view our dedicated page for more information on how we test and review sportsbooks.
Additionally, you can view all of our sportsbook reviews for the top platforms you can bet on baseball.
How to bet responsibly on baseball betting sites
Although knowing your sports helps, betting is primarily luck-based, so use these top tips to practice responsible gambling when placing a bet:
Limits: Betting sites allow you to set betting limits, i.e. limit how much you can bet in a day, a week, or a month.
Cashouts: You can withdraw your winnings quite easily from any baseball betting site, which prevents you from spending all of your winnings.
Help & resources: Betting sites provide access to resources for problem gamblers and point them to organizations that can help with gambling addiction.
To help with gambling, we created a 'How To Bet On Sports' guide, that helps new sports bettors understand the industry better, to play safer and more securely.
Problem gambling organizations and charities in the US
Why you can trust us
At Sporting Post, we prioritize accuracy, objectivity, and transparency in every piece of content we write.
Our expert team conducts thorough, real-world testing of betting platforms, ensuring reviews and insights are unbiased and reliable from a human perspective.
We adhere to strict ethical standards, maintaining editorial independence and avoiding conflicts of interest, while regularly updating our content to reflect the latest trends and developments.
Our mission is to empower bettors with trustworthy information, backed by rigorous research and a commitment to responsible gambling.
You can trust us to provide clear, concise, and honest advice, helping you make informed betting decisions.
Editorial policy
Our editorial policy ensures thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content through strict sourcing standards and diligent review by top betting experts and seasoned editors.
This process maintains the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
References
To test betting site products accurately, we dive into analytical research of the sports gambling industry, so we understand what features are best for you. Below are some of the references we use when making such decisions:
https://wsb.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Beggy_2023__Betting_Kelly.pdf
https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2024/01/stephen-shapiro-sports-gambling.php
https://wlr.law.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1263/2021/10/15-Holden-Edelman-To-Print.pdf
Contributors
Josh Miller
Author
Josh Miller, Sporting Post’s Sports & Casino Editor, brings over five years of experience in feature writing, blogging, and SEO.
With a strong background in football coverage and sports betting, his work has been featured in VAVEL.
Josh also writes extensively about online casinos, providing expert insights into games, bonuses, and gambling trends.
His engaging and informative content makes him a reliable resource for Sporting Post readers.
Bradley Gibbs
Reviewed By
With over 12 years of experience, Bradley Gibbs is a seasoned sports betting writer and analyst specializing in uncovering value bets across football, horse racing, tennis, and golf.
His extensive coverage of these sports has been featured on numerous websites and in The Racing & Football Outlook, a renowned UK betting publication.
Bradley's expertise lies in identifying betting edges and delivering insightful, data-driven content for informed wagering.