The Los Angeles Dodgers are no strangers to high expectations. Year after year, they’re touted as one of the most talented teams in baseball, with a stacked lineup and a deep bench. However, the 2023 season has brought some unexpected challenges for the reigning National League West champions.
Thirty-four games into the season, the Dodgers find themselves with a less than stellar 20-14 record, just a half-game in front of the Arizona Diamondbacks and two in front of the ever-dangerous San Diego Padres.
The early season loss of Gavin Lux and recent injuries to Will Smith and J.D. Martinez have tested the Dodgers’ depth. While they’ve managed to stay afloat, their early struggles have caused oddsmakers to adjust their World Series projections.
According to online bookmakers in Portugal, the Dodgers began the season as +500 co-favorites with the Houston Astros to win the 2023 World Series. However, after their slow start, their odds dropped to +800 at the end of April. While that still makes them one of the top favorites in the league, it’s a significant shift from where they started.
How to Bet on Baseball
Betting on baseball has become an increasingly popular method for fans to engage with the sport, adding a heightened level of excitement and adrenaline to the experience of watching a game. While novice bettors may initially find baseball betting to be a complex and challenging endeavor, experts say that gaining a fundamental understanding of the basics and familiarizing oneself with the most popular betting markets can help alleviate any intimidation. With the right knowledge and approach, baseball betting can be an accessible and enjoyable way for fans to enhance their connection to the game.
Moneyline Betting Dominates MLB Wagers
Baseball enthusiasts have multiple betting options to explore, with moneyline bets being the most popular and straightforward choice in Major League Baseball (MLB) and other sports. In moneyline betting, punters predict the winning team without considering additional factors. Betting sites and bookmakers provide odds reflecting each side’s likelihood of winning, with favorites and underdogs denoted by a (-) and (+) sign, respectively.
Totals Betting: Over/Under
Baseball betting also allows for wagering on total runs scored, specifically predicting whether the total will be above or below a specified number. While some consider this market safer and less risky, it is not always the case. The focus here is on predicting the combined run tally rather than the winning team.
Run Line Betting
Similar to the point spread bets in sports like basketball and football, run line betting provides one team with a run advantage to level the playing field. Bookmakers assign +1.5 runs to underdogs and -1.5 runs to favorites. The relatively small run line of 1.5 is due to the typically low-scoring nature of baseball games.
First Five Innings Betting
Betting on the first five innings of a game has gained traction recently, as bettors find it more engaging and somewhat safer to predict the outcome or total runs scored in this time frame. Both moneyline and totals-bets are available in this market, allowing punters to capitalize on dissecting a game rather than only wagering on the full game outcome.
