Baseball is a great sport to bet on, and even more so during the annual MLB season. Betting gives fans a chance to get involved with their favourite sport in an intense and enjoyable manner.
For those accustomed to betting on sports like basketball and football, making the switch to MLB betting can be tricky.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that whereas punters who enjoy betting on football and basketball typically focus on the point spread, betting on the MLB means wagering on a Moneyline sport. This means that punters must decide who wins the game outright.
Below are more top tips for betting on Major League Baseball.
Bet Against The Crowd
Since more often than not, the majority loses, when betting on baseball, it is usually a good idea to go against the crowd.
The important thing to remember in this regard is that the typical bettor wagers his bets on pure instinct. This leads to sticking to betting on favourites and popular teams and players. But by going against the grain, the smart bettor gets to take full advantage of what is commonly referred to as “public bias”. This also means making the most of exaggerated numbers on the Moneyline.
Avoid The Huge Favourites
Every bookmaker knows that casual bettors prefer to stick with the favourites, regardless of the current MLB picks.
The result is that bookies generally want to capitalise by amending the lines accordingly. Practically speaking, this means that bookies will inflate popular teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox.
When favourites do end up winning, the payouts are usually small, and not exactly worth the time and money spent on such a bet.
Be Mindful Of The Weather
Being aware of what the weather is doing is especially important when placing a totals bet.
The wind, especially, is a deciding factor. When the wind happens to be blowing in, it can lead to home runs becoming warning-track outs, which can quickly turn a game completely around.
Research has shown that when the wind happens to be blowing in at more than 5 mph, the effect is usually under 960-781-89 and has a 6.4% ROI. This can have a major impact on the outcome of the event.
By the same token, when the wind is blowing out at 8 mph or more, the ROI typically drops to 3.6%.
Get To Know The Umpires
While it isn’t advisable to wager a bet solely on who it will be watching over a game, it is important to know the usual tendencies of the umpire.
Keeping in mind that umpires remain human when behind the plate, it makes sense to get to know how well officials deal with pressure, the crowd, and the effect of the home team.
Some umpires have a rebellious streak, which can lead to them leaning into the hate of the crowd, thereby advantaging the away team. Others have bigger-than-usual strike zones, which leads to more strikeouts.
Shop For Value
Instead of settling for whatever a single bookmaker has to offer, try shopping around for the best possible value.
This is important across the board no matter the sport you’re betting on.