With 162 games for each of the 30 teams in the Major Leagues, handicapping MLB online betting lines can be a tiring and confusing process for most bettors. That, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t profit from the MLB betting odds. Using the following MLB tips, the diamond can turn out to be a real gem for you all summer.
Baseball Betting: Handicapping Tips for Winning in MLB Odds
Playing the Odds
Like in other sports, betting on money lines is different from point spreads, parlays, game totals and so forth. Take your time to understand these odds and how to profitably bet on each one of them at any given time, and then design a disciplined betting strategy (or strategies) that will protect you from making unwarranted bets. For example, as a basic rule, avoid betting too much on heavy favorites (those priced higher than -160). This is because you risk a lot for winning little on those favorites, which doesn’t give you much betting value. Not to forget, even the heavy favorites get to lose games or fail to cover the spread, and by laying a big price, your bankroll is put at a great risk. Of course, the same goes for underdogs; don’t bet on them blindly, unless you are totally convinced that (based on tangible reasons) they will be able to bring you some good profits.
Money Management and Setting Limits
This may sound cliché, but the truth is that is that the 2,430-game MLB season is a marathon and not a sprint, so have limits in terms of what you spend. Don’t mortgage your entire financial future on bets at the start of the season just because you are happy that the MLB season is back, when you can put that money into better use on the good stuff in June and beyond. Have a well thought-out bankroll plan and set limits that will allow you to not only place wise smart wagers, but also enable you to sustainably pounce on any good betting opportunities throughout the season.
Know Your Pitchers
A starting pitcher holds much value to a team (and its chances of winning a game) just in the same way a quarterback does in the NFL. And with most starters often working on around six innings, their role towards winning a game is extremely important, so you have to know the strengths and weaknesses of the starting pitchers in any game. Also, you are more than likely going to rely on a team’s relief corps to close out the game, meaning close attention must be paid to the bullpens and how teams play in one-run ball games.
Pay Attention to Line Ups
Usually, lineup cards are available around a half hour prior to the first pitch at most major sports websites. It is pertinent to study these lineup cards, especially when a team is playing a day game following a night game. Also, certain star players are usually given off-days in between back-to-backs, so you must keep your eye out for such lineups and how they are likely to affect the key matchups in a game.
Balance in Defense and Offense
Being one-sided is a real threat to success in the Major Leagues, largely because of the mismatches that come with it. A good offense can get you only so far, just in in the same way a good defense does. The trick, therefore, is to find the team that offers most balance. And in the instance that the team only has one dominant side (like a good defense only), then find out how that strength is matches or mismatches that team against its opponent.
