MLB Online Sports Betting Guide for Beginners

Best Sportbook Sites for MLB Betting

DraftKings Sportsbook

$1000

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Fox Bet Sportsbook

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FanDuel Sportsbook

$500 risk free bet

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MLB Betting Site: Aspects to Consider

Selecting the perfect website for your MLB adventures can be a tough call with so many incredible options out there. One should opt for the online MLB betting site that offers maximum convenience and returns. The aim of a good website is to provide the best possible experience to its users. This website recommendation guide has covered all the criteria that make a sportsbook better than the rest to help our readers identify the best one. One can ensure the presence of these pointers to stay protected while gambling on baseball online.

Betting Options

MLB action can be experienced in almost all games that are loved by spectators as the online sportsbooks offer the option to bet on them. While choice of games by a particular MLB betting site might not affect your selection, the types of bets offered can make all the difference. The different levels at which MLB sites offer betting are discussed later in this article.

Security and Trust

Sports wagering can be a nightmare if the platform one is dealing with turn out to be fraudulent. Hence, it is necessary to check out licensing regulation, history of the brand, reviews on the discussion forums, business practices, and industry reputation of a website before investing in one. The better market standing a brand has, their website is more likely to be trustworthy than a new-entrant. A website with a lot of security loopholes doesn’t only mean that users are bound to experience subpar betting services; it also means that they can have their money stolen. There are a ton of malicious hackers on these websites which look for loose ends to rob individuals of their winnings and savings altogether. Another risk that users run is of identity theft and confidential information compromised. We advise our readers to be especially careful when using platforms since a lot more than their money is at stake.

Usability of the User Interface

Many of professional bettors and beginners are on the lookout for websites that offer an easily comprehensible user interface. This doesn’t force them to waste time on the trivial matters such as finding the payments page, and more. A good MLB betting website should offer a user-friendly interface with quick navigation button for stress-free action. The games and all betting options should be laid out on the Homepage of the website to click and play. Users should have their accounts to track their bets and progress on the charts. All of these features should not require them to have a graduate degree in operating computers either.

Secure banking Options

A successful MLB online gambling site is one which supports all secure payment gateways, allowing users the convenience to make deposits and withdraw at their will. This is not too much to ask from a website that has a monetary concept to begin with and is, probably, under strict scrutiny of hackers who can steal confidential bank details of users. All safe banking options such as debit/credit cards, internet banking, PayPal, etc. should be supported by a website to become one of the leading MLB betting platforms.

Loyalty Programs

If one has been investing their hard-earned money in one platform for a long time, they should get something in return apart from their winnings. A good platform would offer perks to its regular users in the form of discounts, coupons, and vouchers which they can redeem for a bunch of services.

Bonuses

An MLB betting platform is more viable and attractive when it offers welcome bonuses and frequent promo codes to its users to grow in the betting game. The website can match a proportion of their deposits; provide them extra cash in their accounts, or loyalty points of regular bets. In this way, the players will stay encouraged to bet on MLB tournaments even if they are not having the best luck with winning bets.

Best Websites to Bet on MLB in The United States

DraftKings

DraftKings entered the online sports betting in 2018, before that it has been one of the most popular fantasy sports wagering platform. The website was initially legal in the state of New Jersey but over the time it has expanded to more states where online sports betting is legal. As for the bonuses one received on the website, they offer a sign-up bonus which can be as much as 500 dollars to match the first deposit. Apart from this, there is a loyalty bonus that can reach up to 500 dollars, depending upon how frequently a players places their bets. The several ongoing promotions for MBL bettors are incredible and can give players a boost of 250 dollars if used right. With DraftKings, users can withdraw their winnings at any time through PayPal, e-check, check, or cash. With the Draftkings casino in your town, you can visit them to make an in-person withdrawal.

FanDuel

FanDuel is yet another MLB betting platform that took a leap from being an online fantasy sports website to online sportsbook in 2018. One can access the sports wagering on this website in five states now. The promo codes for FanDuel mostly work for New Jersey for now but thanks to the 500 dollar risk-free bet, players love this platform. One can also invite their friends and family to join fun and earn rewards worth 50 dollars. As for other bonus codes and offers, they are available for a few games but MBL. For making withdrawals with FanDuel, you can use PayPal, Cards, e-Check, and a regular check. Once you apply for withdrawal of minimum 10 dollars from your account, you will get in within 12 hours when security check is performed.

PointsBet

PointsBet was launched in 2019 as a sportsbook in New Jersey and expanded to Indiana and potentially, Colorado in 2020. The deposit bonus is humongous with 4 risk-free bets up to 1,000 dollars. This means that even if users lose their money on these bets, it will be refunded. Exclusive MLB Promo Code FPBET can be used to claim the offer. Boosted Bets, Parlay Refunds, and Early Payouts are other perks of using the website. For making withdrawals from PointsBet winnings, users have the option to select from amongst e-checks, PayPal, or the branded Mastercard by PointsBet. These transactions are only processed for a minimum amount of 5 dollars.

SugarHouse

SugarHouse is a sportsbook that allows players from New Jersey and Pennsylvania to place their bets online. Now, they have also launched PlaySugarHouse app for iOS and Android devices, allowing individuals to bet on the go. The welcome bonus amounts to a deposit match up to 250 dollars on your first deposit. Minimum limit of this transaction to gain from it is 10 dollars. One can also use the SugarHouse promo code CROSSINGBOARD to avail this bonus, which is not a compulsion. One can use the withdrawal options such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, Cash at Casino Cage, Wire Transfer, in-person CVS, or Neteller.

Caesars

Caesars casinos launched their online MLB betting website in 2018 in partnership with Scientific Games. It is currently operational in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. One receives a 10 dollar free bet when they sign up on the website even without a deposit. The first deposit, then, is matched 100% up to 300 dollars, which goes directly into bonus funds. They also have a rewards program in place for frequent bettors. Also checking out promotions is a good idea to benefit from ongoing offers.

MGM SportsBook

BetMGM is an online sportsbook which is operational in New Jersey by a trusted casino brand – MGM grand. One can benefit from the website when registering and making the first deposit in the form of match bonus up to 500 dollars. Apart from this, there are ongoing promotions that are active on specific days of a week. The loyalty program allows players to win iRewards which can be redeemed in the MGM Grand Resorts, online shops, and more. The withdrawal options include Borgata cage, check, e-checks, Neteller, and PayNearMe.

Golden Nugget

The Golden Nugget app and website is available for players from New Jersey and Nevada as of now. Players can avail a welcome bonus of 100 dollars which they can bet risk-free when they use exclusive invite links. There are ongoing promotional offers which flash on the website when they are active for users to benefit from. To withdraw their winnings, players can use online bank transfers, Wire Transfer, cash, credit cards, prepaid cards, ACH, PayPal, and PayNearMe.

William Hill

William Hill is an online sportsbook operating in the state of New Jersey and offers betting on MLB. The sign-up bonus on William Hill matches players up till 150 dollars of their deposit and they are offered a risk-free 10 dollar wager too. As for ongoing promotions, William Hill offers 100 club points bonus and has a VIP program for frequent customers. One can rely upon ACH, William Hill Prepaid Card, Skrill, and in-person withdrawals to take out money from their William Hill account.

States That Have Legalized MLB Betting

MLB betting or sports betting has become big in the United States now with a significant number of states legalizing it. Over time various state legislations have accepted the activity as more skill-based rather than being luck-based after the judgment by New Jersey court to legalize it in 2018.

Today, states like Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Iowa, Arkansas, Rhode Island, Mississippi, Oregon, Illinois, Montana, North Carolina, Washington DC, Tennessee, Colorado, Washington, Virginia, and Arizona have legalized sports betting.

Out of these, Arkansas allows only physical sports betting. The option to bet on MLB online is accessible to bettors who reside in New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, West Virginia, Mississippi, New Mexico, and more.

Now that the federal ban on betting has been lifted, more and more states are trying to set up regulations to allow sports betting but this may take some time.

Types of MLB Bets

Below are the major types of bets you can place while wagering on MLB.

• Run Line Bets: MLB Run Lines works by considering which team is an underdog and which is the favorite. The spread will indicate the favorite team with a negative number and the underdog with a positive number. It is more profitable to bet on the positive number as it indicates the winning amount if bettors put 100 dollars at stake. However, the negative number states the amount one has to put at stake to win 100 dollars.

• First Five Innings: It is the simplest form of MLB bets which includes betting on the outcome of initial 5 wins of a team. Although the payout of F5 might not be as good, the odds of winning the wager are pretty high.

• Money Line: This includes looking at the money line, ignoring the runs to decide upon the wager. The negative 3-digit numbers indicate the amount one has to bet to win 100 dollars. One wins if the team they placed their money on wins.

• Over/Under: This type of betting works when the betting website demands players to speculate the score of the match to be over or under a limit. The bettor who makes an apt speculation wins.

• Series Bets: Series bets come into action during post-season matches, where best of the season is rewarded. Betting websites allow their users to bet on the outcomes of these matches in both play-offs series and World Series.

• Prop Bets: Proposition bets are solely dependent upon the likeliness of an event to take place. These events include the team that scores first, whether a player will hit the home run or not, or which team would hit first etc. There are ample options to place such bets online, which is not the case in brick and mortar sportsbooks.

World Series: The Biggest Season For MLB Bettors

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has shortened the 2020 Major League Baseball season, it has started with its first set of games on July 23. The first match had the World Series champions Washington National against New York Yankees. This initial run-off is expected to end on September 27. The official World Series is to begin on October 23. Then there is a potential Game 7 planned on October 31.

• Playoff Odds: Various websites and forums have started speculating the American League Playoff odds of various teams participating in the MLB in 2020. Needless to say, the odds look highly promising for New York Yankees, followed by those of Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins.

• MLB MVP Odds: The MVP odds for AL 2020 look great for Mike Trout from Angels, Aaron Judge from Yankees, and Francisco Lindor from Indians. All of these players and more stand a strong chance of winning the MVP.

• MLB All-Star Game: The MLB All-Star game was scheduled to begin on July 3 in 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. Now, it will take place in 2022 in the Dodger Stadium which was supposed to host the game this year.

How To Develop An Effective MLB Betting Strategy to Hit the Jackpot?

The reason why MLB betting was legalized by certain states is because the speculation about outcomes of various games involves more skill than mere chance. Here are some tips for first-time bettors to display the required skill and win big from online MLB betting.

• Odd makers know that most bets will reflect the fan-favorites and hence their charts have been designed to lure ardent followers. Hence, it would be wiser to use software such as Bet labs and more to dig deep into history of teams. The payout small when popular teams win but the bettors can be crushed if they lose.
• The chances of reaching break-even earlier and earning can be increased by betting on underdogs. When these teams lose, bettors lose a little but they can certainly enjoy a fair return if these teams perform well.
• Playing against the public might work well for the speculators in the long run if they are not caught by the “recency” bias by betting only on teams which have performed better in previous game.
• Follow the Reverse Line Movement for betting like a professional.
• Being up-to-date with the news and social media channels of stars is also crucial now since the players tested positive for Covid-19 will have to step back from the matches. A heads up regarding promising players will do users well.
• Weather reports are a must-check to ensure the pitching conditions in the regions where match is taking place.
• Dividing bets on several sportsbooks is also a great idea to have better odds of winning.
• One must not get lured by Parlays and Teasers as they are mere scams for getting someone to bet on the worst possible odds.

The Impact of Covid-19 on MLB Betting

With MLB and NBA season around the corner, the bettors, players, as well as the betting sites are pleased to have the games take place in the US. The only issue is the Covid-19 pandemic that has made the future of various teams absolutely uncertain. Now, for precautionary measures, all players will have to take a test before every match and only the ones found negative will be allowed on the ground.

Constant testing means that if an impact player who can change the outcome of a game significantly is forced to sit out, all speculation might go in vain. Another measure to ensure safety of players calls for every team playing 40 out of 60 games against divisional opponents, which might affect the betting options offered by MLB betting sites.

Canadian teams like Toronto Blue Jays won’t have the opportunity to play at their home ground at all since all games will happen within the US. Some teams that are going to excel in this scenario are ones with stronger bullpen than others. Higher numbers of relief pitchers are good news for a team as they will be able to deal with layoffs due to positive tests much better. So, teams with star players like Tampa Bay Rays with Ryan Yarbrough and Ryne Stanek but a weaker bullpen should use their first innings to their highest advantage before they start getting “dead arms.”

The Milwaukee Brewers and Dodgers are also expected to be in a better shape only if their openers fare well throughout the season. If not, even the plethora of pitchers they have might not help these teams win the trophy. It is becoming increasingly difficult to figure out who are the underdogs and who might turn out to be the stars of this odd season in MLB history.

An Advice For The MLB Bettors

As bettors advance into this pandemic-laced season of baseball, it would be interesting to see the ones who can hold up well in such uncertainties as well. The best advice here would be to stay active on teams’ and players’ social media, newspaper reports and alerts regarding individuals who are experiencing frequent issues. Keeping an upper hand on knowing the situation of the players will help bettors to make educated guesses as to who should advance victoriously. MLB, anyway, ensures limited physical contact between the players, assuring speculators a safer season as compared to NBA. In the end, wager on MLB future markets still remains tough but fortunately possible for the enthusiasts to try their skills upon.

Conclusion

MLB betting online has revolutionized the sports betting industry as this is the industry that holds maximum number of matches, offering great odds for bettors. The majority of sportsbook in America are active in New Jersey and Nevada, offering individuals from these states to make big money out of speculation. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the picture has become different and requires bettors to change their strategies and focus more on current events. This is because players, if tested positive for Coronavirus, will have to sit out of the game.