Although it isn’t easy to profit on a regular basis from sports betting, baseball may be the exception. Baseball consistently is the sportsbooks worst performing vertical. Anyone who puts in the proper research can consistently come out a winner in the betting marketplace. The house simply can’t properly cover the number of baseball games played each month. This means there is some weakness and opportunity to be found. If you’re a Los Angeles Dodgers fan and love backing them in the betting market, there are some important betting tips that you can leverage.
Only Bet At Legalized Sportsbooks
First, it’s always best to bet at legalized sportsbooks. In the USA many states are now offering legalized sports betting, including Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. For those based in Canada, you’ll need to check on the legal status of online gambling in your provence. Legalized sportsbooks offer the safest way to bet on major league baseball.
Look For Underdog Value
Underdog betting is traditionally recommended in any sport. However, it is of greater importance in baseball where there is not as much disparity between the bottom-feeders and top-ranked teams. The old baseball adage is that teams will win 1/3rd of the games they play and lose 1/3rd of the games they play. It’s what they do with the final 1/3rd of their games that determines how good or bad they really are. In betting terms, this means that even poor performing teams will beat the strong clubs at a decent frequency. In this case, finding underdog value where you’re getting paid a multiple on your wager is just smart betting.
Don’t Bet On Heavy Favorites
Conversely, you’re going to be risking more to win less when wagering on the favorites. Heavy favorites where the money line in the vicinity of -150 or even higher often look like a slam dunk plays. However, these are the wagers you need to avoid like the plague. For instance, USA Today had the Houston Astros and New York Yankees as co-favorites to win the 2019 World Series paying +700. While both teams remain in the mix, the Los Angeles Dodgers have moved to +400 after opening at +700. That +700 was where the value bet was.
While we are not implying that you shouldn’t bet favorites from time to time, it’s best to ensure that their money line pricing isn’t exorbitant. Remember you need to win at a rate better than 60% if you choose to stick with favorites.
Pitching, Pitching, Pitching
There’s no denying that pitching is a very big part of baseball. Having said that, you need to consider everything ranging from the bullpen to the starters before placing your bets. Talking about starters first, it is always better to back players who had a good showing in their last outing. As the starting pitchers usually throw every fifth day, they don’t get much time to clear up their mind and make corrections after a bad outing. While good performance is often indicative of a player who’s found his groove.
While starters are important, the bullpen shouldn’t be overlooked. One or two bad innings can wipe away all the hard work of the starter. When it comes to relievers, the primary item to focus on is the amount of work that they’ve been given. If the starting rotation has been strong, as as has been in the case of Dodgers lately, relief pitchers will not be required to throw a lot. A fresh bullpen not only helps performance but opens up match-up options for the manager as well.
Don’t Wager Too Often Too Early
Whenever the baseball season starts every year, punters can be seen itching to bet on the games. However, the smart ones generally stay conservative during the early season. It’s at this stage that the most uncertainty exists. Obviously, you’ll have a fair idea about the good teams based on the last season’s performances, it’s not uncommon for great pitchers, solid hitters and good teams to struggle coming out of the gate.
Finally, remember that odds can change daily for an MLB game, which can make the nature of sports betting seem erratic. You’ll need to keep a keen eye on the numbers to make good bets consistently.
