Betting on MLB baseball is not only fun and exciting, but profitable as well. For the sports book, baseball is not a real moneymaker. From time to time, you will find baseball lines that are total gifts. I thought it would be great to go over some tips and thoughts about betting on MLB baseball. The season is a long one filled with plenty of betting opportunity and tons of potential. It would be a crime for any serious sports bettor to not at least take a look at wagering on MLB baseball.

 

MLB Tip Number One: Don’t chase those streaks.

 

If you do anything in regards to streaks, it should be to ride them. While all streaks come to an end, there’s no law saying they need to stop any time soon. Don’t think for a moment that any team in baseball can’t go on a 15 game losing streak or a 20 game winning streak. It happens pretty much every year. Each year countless sports bettors lose their shirts because they were betting against streaks and increasing their bets in the hope that the streak will end. If you want to go broke, play against streaks.

 

MLB Tip Number Two: Pay attention to starting pitching.

 

In baseball, the pitcher is a dominant force. The pitcher can swing games either way and you must know about who is pitching before making any wager. Don’t be a name bettor. A name bettor is the sports bettor who hears the name of a good pitcher and bets the team. All pitchers have good days and bad days. Some pitchers dominate teams and some get dominated. For example, no matter how good of a year the Seattle Mariners were having over the past seasons, they could not beat Pedro Martinez (formerly of Boston). On paper, the Mariners could have the Red Sox beat in every single area, but if Pedro was on the mound, you knew to bet the Red Sox—no matter what.

 

You need to do your research on each pitcher and see how they perform for the situation they are in. You will find pitchers will decent ERAs who pitch well at home, but on the road they might have a 6 ERA! You may find a pitcher who pitches pretty well, but his team only wins 35% of the games he starts in. Conversely, you might find a pitcher who is just average, but his team wins 70% of the games he starts. All these pieces of information help you decide which team has the best shot to win.

 

MLB Tip Number Three: Ignore the lines.

 

If you are not picking your own teams (IE using a handicapping service), ignore this tip. However, if you are picking your own teams, don’t look at the lines until after you have come up with some winners. The lines mean nothing as far as who’s better. It’s simply a financial transaction and it tells you what kind of value you will be receiving on your money.

 

Picture two scenarios. In the first one, you head over to your favorite sports book and see that the Yankees are favored by $2.80 over the Devil Rays. You laugh because there’s no way you are laying $2.80 on anyone (good idea). You forget the game and move on. Now, let’s look at scenario two. Instead of looking at the lines, you look at who’s playing and begin to piece together information. Your mind guides you to the Yankees game and you discover that this game is almost a toss up. You see how Tampa Bay has held their own against the Yankees and so forth. You proceed to the sports book and see that you can get an amazing value for your Tampa Bay bet and you bet it—later winning a nice bit of change.

 

Do you see the difference? Sure, maybe in both cases you don’t look at the game, but by leaving the lines for later, you gave yourself, psychologically, a chance for the play.

 

I hope these tips have helped you think a little clearer and hopefully they will lead you to winning more money during the baseball season.

 

Jay Bird

Writer for SportsBookie.com

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