MLB BETTING SITES

Our top picks from the Best MLB Bookmakers Online in May 2023

According to viewership numbers, Major League Baseball is the second most popular professional sports league in the US, trailing only the NFL. As such, the MLB enjoys the attention of baseball fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike.

Each of the 30 participating MLB teams is scheduled to play 162 regular-season games during the spring and summer months, providing profit-hungry bettors with thousands of incredible opportunities while most other major leagues are in the offseason. 

The best sports betting sites allow you to make all sorts of bets, from standard moneyline, run line, and various types of props, to long-shot futures like predicting the winner of the World Series. Of course, many other things matter in MLB sports betting online, namely the sportsbook’s bonuses, odds, features, banking options, and a few other aspects.

This is where we can help, as our experts have scanned the web to find the best MLB betting sites operating in the US. Are you a complete beginner and don’t know the first thing about baseball betting? No problem! Apart from listing top-rated sportsbooks, we’ll show you how to register, what types of bets to make, how to use baseball betting bonuses, and more.

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MLB Betting Options

Baseball games provide a variety of ways to bet, including picking the winner, predicting the number of runs, home runs, and much more. The deeper a sportsbook is willing to go when offering these betting options, the higher we’ll rate it.

MLB Bonus Offers

We also think highly of betting sites that are willing to reward their patrons. Bonuses are common on gambling sites, but some sportsbooks have more rewarding (also less restrictive) offers than others. 

Apart from looking at the base value of bonuses and their overall number, we also pay attention to all essential terms and conditions associated with using a particular bonus. Additionally, we reward sites with MLB-specific bonuses like enhanced odds, parlay boosts, and others.

Quality of Odds and Lines

You should always go for the MLB bookie that features the best odds. Otherwise, you’ll be stripping yourself of the opportunity to win the highest potential profit. The movement of the lines is also significant, so we consider all of this when deciding on the best MLB betting sites and apps.

MLB Mobile Betting

If you enjoy the convenience of mobile betting, rest assured that all of our recommended sportsbooks have proprietary iOS and Android apps as well as mobile browser sites, making it easy to bet on the go. The best MLB betting apps perform well on all devices, work quickly and smoothly, and don’t let you experience any lags or bugs.

Deposits and Withdrawals

Another way we evaluate betting platforms is through their process of deposits and withdrawals. A worthwhile MLB sportsbook must have enough payment options to move money in and out, including credit and debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, checks, in-person payments, and more, with each method having optimal upper and lower limits. Additionally, payment processing should be quick and without any unnecessary charges.

Customer Care

You never know when you might need help making a bet, finding a specific market, or using the sportsbook’s bonus. If any questions arise, the website’s customer service should provide immediate and professional help. The betting sites listed here all have 24/7 support with live chat, email, and other modes of contact, so feel free to hit them up when in need.

Brief History of the MLB

Major League Baseball is the oldest of all major sports competitions in the US. It consists of two leagues — National League and American League — the former having been founded in 1876. The American League came about in 1901 as a competitor to the National League. But, in 1903, it was decided that the American League would be treated as NL’s equal, giving birth to the World Series, where the winner of one league would play the winner of the other to decide the national champion. The two leagues were labeled as major leagues, while all other baseball competitions were dubbed minor leagues.

The MLB was increasing in popularity over time, with one of its first heydays being the 1920s, a period dominated by Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees. However, the league struggled during the Great Depression and World War II.

The late 1940s and 1950s were marked by the league’s expansion and the breaking of the color barrier. Jackie Robinson became the first non-white player to join the league when he signed for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, opening the door to talents like Larry Doby, Satchel Page, Roy Campanella, and others.

For the first 50 years, the MLB consisted of two leagues, each having eight teams, all located in the northeastern and midwestern parts of the country. A pivotal event happened in 1958, when the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers moved the team to Los Angeles, making it the first team on the West Coast. More franchises were added while some existing teams changed cities in the upcoming decades, and the league truly became nationwide.

The last 50 years of the MLB were marked by further expansion, building new stadiums, improving equipment, adding artificial surfaces, and tweaking the rules. The only thing that hurt the league’s reputation in recent history was the so-called “Steroid Era” that saw many players suspended or banned for using performance-enhancing drugs in the 90s and 2000s. However, the MLB remains as popular as it ever was, trailing only the NFL in viewership and ticket sales.

The most successful team in MLB history is the New York Yankees, who won the World Series 27 times. With 11 championships, the St. Louis Cardinals are a distant second, while the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox each have nine.

MLB Season Structure and Playoffs

The MLB today consists of 30 teams divided into two leagues, with each league split into three divisions of five teams. Each team is set to play 162 games during the regular season, and the games between teams are usually scheduled into two-, three-, or four-game series.

Games are played almost every day, with the only major break being the All-Star event. At the mid-way point of the season, the best NL and AL players are selected to play in the exhibition All-Star Game.

Once the 162-game season ends, ten teams qualify for the playoffs. These include six division champions and four “wild cards,” two teams from each league with the best win-loss record other than the division champs.

The playoffs start with the Wild Card Game, a single elimination game between the two wild card teams from each league. Once the winners are known, the stage is set for the Division Series played in a best-of-five format. The best-of-seven Championship Series is next, determining the National League and the American League champions. Finally, we have the World Series, which is also a best-of-seven.

How MLB Sports Betting Online Works

All the best MLB betting apps are beginner-friendly, so even if you’re unaware of how online betting works, it won’t take you long to figure things out. The two most important things you should know before choosing an MLB betting platform are how to register and what types of bets you can place, so we’ll give you a mini-guide on each of these processes.

How to Get Started With Legal MLB Betting Online

While the registration process may vary slightly from sportsbook to sportsbook, once you know how to register on one betting site, you’ll know how to register on all of them. Without further ado, here’s how to set up an account on an MLB betting site of your choice:

1. Find the Join button. After selecting one of the sportsbooks from our list, go to its website and click on the Register, Sign Up, or Join button. The process is the same on a mobile site, but if you wish to play on an app, you’ll first have to download it from your device’s app store.
2. Share your details. Fill out the form with the required information. The sportsbook will need to identify you and verify that you are of legal gambling age (21 in most cases), so share your full name, date of birth, address, email, social security number, and other necessary information.
3. Complete a deposit. Go to the cashier page and select your preferred deposit method. Type in the amount you wish to deposit (pay attention to the minimum and maximum limits) and complete the payment. The transfer should be almost instantaneous.
4. Pick up a welcome bonus (optional). If you wish to extend your initial deposit, you should claim the sportsbook’s welcome bonus. After making a qualifying deposit, go to your account and follow instructions on how to activate the offer.
5. Start making bets. All that’s left to do is make your first MLB wager. Find baseball from the sportsbook’s list of sports, select MLB, and explore your options.

Different Types of MLB Bets

You can bet on an MLB game (or the league as a whole) in various ways. Each of the best MLB betting sites will give you plenty of choices in betting markets, and below, we offer a few words about some of the most popular ones.

MLB Moneyline Betting

If you just want to pick the winning side of a given MLB game, you’ll be placing a moneyline bet. This bet is displayed at the top of each fixture, as it is one of three main baseball bets.

Negative odds are associated with favorites, while positive odds are associated with underdogs. For example:

• Los Angeles Dodgers (-190)
• Cincinnati Reds (+170)

This means you’ll need to wager $190 on the Dodgers to win $100 or place $100 on the Reds to make a profit of $170. The exact score and the margin of victory are not taken into account. You just need to guess the winning side.

MLB Run Line

The run line is the baseball-specific term for spread betting. Here, the goal is to predict the winner of the game when accounting for the number of runs added or subtracted from each team’s total.

Let’s say that the Detroit Tigers were given -1.5 against the Boston Red Sox, who were given +1.5. This means that the Tigers are favorites, and the indicated number of runs is subtracted from their total. If you were to bet the run line on the Tigers, you’d need them to win by two or more runs. Alternatively, betting on the Red Sox in this market suggests they need to cover the spread by losing by one run or winning the game outright.

MLB Totals (Over/Under)

If you have a good hunch on whether an MLB game will have a low or high score, you should explore the totals market, also called over/under.

Let’s say that the total offered by the sportsbook for a given MLB game is 8.5. You have two options — bet on over and expect the game to have nine or more runs, or place an under wager and hope the game features eight runs or fewer.

Sportsbooks typically offer odds between -105 and -115, depending on the number of points they believe the game will finish around.

First Five Innings

Baseball games can take a while, and you may wait for several hours for your bets to settle. Luckily, the best MLB betting sites cater to impatient bettors, with markets covering the first five innings. In these markets, you can make all the bets mentioned above with them only relating to the game’s first five innings. 

Props

Like betting on most other sports, MLB betting also features a set of miscellaneous bets called props. These markets can include everything from extra innings, which team will score first, how many home runs there will be, bets on individual players, and more.

Futures

Do you have a favorite team or a team you think will win the World Series? You can bet on the World Series before or during the season and the playoffs. The earlier you place your bet, the longer the odds. Additionally, you can make futures bets on individual award winners such as the MVP, Cy Young Trophy, Rookie of the Year, and others.

MLB Live Betting

Few sports are as fit for live betting as baseball. The games can last more than three hours, so instead of just waiting for your pre-game bets to settle, you can make a variety of wagers during the action.

MLB live betting is available on all renowned MLB betting apps and websites. To access live betting, simply select a game that has already started, and you’ll see all the traditional markets, including a few live-specific ones. Of course, mind that timing and quick decision-making is essential when betting live because odds change as the game progresses.

MLB Sports Betting Bonus Offers

As the MLB season is nearing its start, sportsbooks will roll out a set of MLB bonuses and promotions, on top of offering existing bonuses to their first-time customers and regulars.

Bonuses have the purpose of extending your deposits, enhancing standard odds, or creating risk-free scenarios, among other things. Here are some of the most common MLB deals you may run into:

• Free bets — A free bet is the most popular promo for MLB sports betting online. It will allow you to bet with bonus money instead of your own cash. However, you’ll likely need to make a qualifying deposit and use the bet on predetermined markets and odds.
• Risk-free bet — No one likes to lose, but that’s an unavoidable part of sports betting. Luckily, there’s a way to lose a bet and not lose your stake. With a risk-free bet, your stake from a losing bet will be given back to you, usually in the form of free bet credits.
• Deposit match — After completing your first deposit, an MLB sportsbook may reward you with a match deposit bonus. The bonus is usually 100% of your initial payment, so if the offer is 100% up to $1,000, your $1,000 deposit will result in an additional $1,000 bonus. However, each sportsbook will require you to wager the bonus funds a certain number of times before you can withdraw them.
• MLB Odds boost — Certain MLB games and markets might come with enhanced odds if you sign up for this promotion. So, instead of +160, you may get +200 on the Baltimore Orioles winning their next game.
• Insurance — Insurance is another common MLB bet. It is designed to soften the blow on unfortunate outcomes. For instance, you can get your stake back if your team loses in extra innings.

MLB Betting Tips

There are no shortcuts or simple strategies that will help you turn a profit on all your MLB bets. If you want to make money betting on the MLB, you’ll need to keep up with what’s going on in the league. Meanwhile, you should carefully choose where you’re placing bets. Here are some of our general tips for all MLB bettors:

• Don’t shy away from betting on underdogs — Baseball is one of the most unpredictable sports. Even the best MLB teams rarely win more than 60% of their games during the regular season, so don’t overlook the statistical underdogs as you might in other sports.
• Pay attention to winning streaks — The long and tireless MLB season means teams will inevitably go through ups and downs. Even the least successful teams can win a few games in a row, while championship contenders may enter an occasional losing streak. That’s why it’s essential to check the teams’ recent performance before laying down a wager.
• Spend time odds shopping — This is a general rule for all sports betting, not just MLB. Each sportsbook offers its own odds on MLB games, and while the differences may seem minor, getting the best possible odds every time will ultimately pay off. Luckily, there’s no limit to how many online betting accounts you can make in one state, so try registering to all available bookies to take advantage of the best odds as soon as they appear.