Betting on the Baseball World Series for newbies

Sportsbook Hank Sportsbook Hank
May 4, 2018
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Betting on the Baseball World Series

So you want to know how betting on the baseball world series works? MLB is all-american sports that we all are familiar with, but when it comes to nuances, we quickly find out how little we know about baseball. Today I’m going to give you some advice on how to bet on baseball games.

We will go over rules of baseball and also talk little about history of the game, how World Series began and then I will give you some advice what to look for if you want to place a bet. Before continuing I will introduce you best online sportsbooks for betting on baseball – handpicked by our editors:

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As you might know already, Baseball World Series is already here and teams are ready for battling it out and sports bettors analyzing their socks off for finding the greatest edge there is to find. There’s so many betting options and markets at your service if you want to bet on baseball. All sportsbooks we listed for you above have live betting and also prop bets available.

But before we continue about talking betting on the baseball world series, let’s sit back a little and look how this game got so big and also how it is really played.

Baseball World Series history
If you live in Europe, then it’s likely you don’t have much experience or knowledge about baseball. Yes, there are some funny different styles of baseball played here (Finnish baseball, anyone?) Also games like softball and cricket are loosely based on American baseball.

You might think what is there to learn – one team is doing the batting, other one is pitching and then we run around a little. That’s pretty much it, hehe. But if we are getting ready to place some bets, we need to know more about baseball. Even more than just rules of the game.

So there is pitching team and batting team. Batting team send out hitters versus pitcher, who tries to stop hitters getting points/runs versus pitching team. Hitters can be eliminated several ways.

If hitter succeeds to hit the ball, he tries to run around of four bases (always counterclockwise). If he succeeds to pass all bases and return to “home”, team will score a run. And then there is also “home run” which is scored when hitter runs through all bases at once. Good example of home run is when hitter hits the ball over the fence, so nobody from opposite team is able to catch.

But if home run didn’t happen, batting team can also try to move to next base during another batting round. But when he doesn’t reach next base in time and pitching team throws the ball to the target base, batter will be out.

Batting and pitching (or fielding) is switched when pitting team reaches three outs. Inning is one turn batting and a game consists of nine innings. Team that gets bigger number of runs by the end will be a winner. Sometimes scores will be tied, then there are extra innings added for the game.

Unique thing about baseball is that it has no clock. Most baseball end in the 9th inning.

Betting on the baseball world series
In the USA and Canada professional Major League Baseball teams are divided into two – American League Baseball and and National League Baseball. Both of these leagues have total three divisions – East, Central and of course West. Champion will be crowned by the playoff games, culmination being the Series.

Baseball is a very popular televised sports in USA, but the fact is Major League Baseball is not as popular as football or NBA. Nevertheless baseball World Series is a massive event where betting revenues tend to go through the roof. World Series is a great opportunity to place a bet, because many new bettors are getting their feet wet.

First thing you have to learn about betting on baseball is “run lines”. These can be compared to point spread in football. Line will be adjusted so you can see underdog will now have advantage in the game. Usually the underdog will get 0.5 runs and favourite is given minus 0.5 runs. This means if underdog happens to lose, they should not be defeated by more than 1 run and if by any chance favourite will find, they need to win at least single run. The fact is, run lines tend to be not that high as regular season because of the fact no team is significantly better than the other. This is why lines don’t exceed 1.5 runs.

Also there are ‘totals’ (or over and under). If you already know what betting on the totals means, then know that betting on the totals is not different in baseball. Just baseball scores are lower than in basketball or football – total will be usually be between 6-10 runs, but will be lower when both teams playing each other are really strong.

Props in baseball are not always offered. If we keep it short and simple – prop bets are for sports bettors who want to bet how certain player will perform in the match.

And then there is ‘moneyline’ – most popular betting option in the betting on the baseball world series. If you want to make a moneyline bet, you have to pick an outright winner of the game. If you pick the underdog, the payout will be of course bigger, because the risk will be bigger.

Betting on the Baseball World Series Winner
Teams that were in the play-offs year earlier will also be major contender in the next year, unless there have been changes in the line-ups (like pitcher being injured) or other important gone, injured etc. If you are made your mind and just want to bet on the winner, who is also big favourite at the same time, this will also mean odds offered to you will be low, sometimes too low. Usually money is made betting on the underdogs, but all of us have different reasons why we bet on sports I guess.

Also look out for the baseball teams that are on so called “hot streak” and destroying favourites. Sometimes it may be wise to bet on them when World Series starts. If betting on the baseball world series, always make sure you take the maximum from the opportunities presented to you by the sportsbook and game itself.

Sportsbook Hank
Author Sportsbook Hank