How to Bet on Baseball: A Complete Guide to Markets, Odds & Strategy 2025
- Top Baseball bet types and smart strategies
- Key factors for building winning strategies
- Flashscore tools for live data and research
Frank Monkhouse
Last updated 6 Sept 2025
Baseball matches are won and lost on the smallest of margins. Predicting the result of a game is every bit as challenging as winning a contest. Baseball is a sport with a packed schedule and deep statistical strategy, making it a major attraction for online gamblers.
Table of contents
- 1.Best Bookmakers for Betting on Baseball
- 2.The Main Types of Baseball Bets Explained
- 3.The Main Types of Baseball Bets Explained
- 4.How to Analyse a Baseball Game: A Strategy Guide
- 5.The Flashscore Advantage: Your Essential Baseball Research Hub
Best Bookmakers for Betting on Baseball
As well as helping you find the best baseball betting strategy, this page also highlights the standout bookmakers. Each app listed below offers competitive moneyline odds, a wide range of markets, pre-match and in-play markets, and more.
Coral offers all new customers a welcome bonus free bet when creating an account through this page, and betting on one of the many sports, competition...
Launched in the UK in 2024, 7bet is a new entry to the sportsbook market. They are entirely legal as the UK Gambling Commission licenses them. Our 7be...
Betway is one of the biggest sportsbooks in the UK. They are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and have been in business since 2006...
Betano is a legal and licensed sportsbook currently accepting new players in the UK. Is it a bookmaker worth joining? Flashscore’s Frank Monkhouse pro...
Ladbrokes was founded in 1886, making it one of the oldest names in sports betting worldwide. The company is deep-rooted in UK and Irish sports and be...
Midnite offers competitive betting odds and generous promotions on a long list of sports, competitions, and markets. Today is the perfect time to join...
The Main Types of Baseball Bets Explained
In this section of my baseball betting guide for Flashscore, I highlight the most popular and simple baseball betting markets. You’ll find these options at every major sportsbook covering every respected competition, including Major League Baseball.
Moneyline
The easiest way to gamble on baseball. Pick the team you expect to win, add to your bet slip, input a stake, and confirm. If your team wins, you secure the profits. But if they lose, the bookmaker retains your stake.
Run Line
Baseball and the MLB’s version of the points spread, and it’s a great way to gamble. The betting traders will set the run line, usually giving the favourites a 1.5 run handicap, and the favourites a 1.5 run start. You must pick a team to win and cover the handicap or stay within the safety of the 1.5 run cushion.
The Main Types of Baseball Bets Explained
In this section of my baseball betting guide for Flashscore, I highlight the most popular and simple baseball betting markets. You’ll find these options at every major sportsbook covering every respected competition, including Major League Baseball.
Moneyline
The easiest way to gamble on baseball. Pick the team you expect to win, add to your bet slip, input a stake, and confirm. If your team wins, you secure the profits. But if they lose, the bookmaker retains your stake.
Run line
Baseball and the MLB’s version of the points spread, and it’s a great way to gamble. The betting traders will set the run line, usually giving the favourites a 1.5 run handicap, and the favourites a 1.5 run start. You must pick a team to win and cover the handicap or stay within the safety of the 1.5 run cushion.
Total runs (over/under)
You can avoid predicting the winning team by playing the total runs market. The bookmaker will set the line – let’s say 10.5 runs – and you bet on the game producing more or less than that number. One of the easiest baseball betting markets available.
First 5 innings (F5)
Target a quick profit from a match by gambling on the first five innings. The F5 is a popular way to wager on the starting pitching match-up, removing the influence of the unpredictable bullpens.
NRFI/YRFI (No/Yes run first inning)
You can focus on making a strong start to the match by betting on a run to be scored in the first inning. It’s a simple yes-or-no option, giving you a 50% chance of making a profit.
How to Analyse a Baseball Game: A Strategy Guide
If you want to learn to bet on baseball, you must first understand how to research. Now you know the most popular markets, I’ll explain how to whittle down the field or spot a winner. Making informed and data-driven decisions is how you make a long-term profit from MLB.
The starting pitching matchup
I can’t overstate the importance of the starting pitching matchup. It’s crucial to study the latest stats on the earned run average (ERA) and the walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). These details reveal a pitcher’s quality and provide a strong indication of how the match might unfold.
Bullpen strength
As any experienced MLB fan knows, a game isn’t decided when the starter leaves. A team’s relief pitchers play an important role in the closing stages of a match. The relief pitchers are known in this sport as the bullpen.
Hitting and offensive form
Make it your job to study the stats of both teams involved in a match. Find and compare the batting averages and runs scored per game. Does a team enter on a hot winning streak, or is confidence low in the camp due to a drought of victories?
External factors
It’s impossible to know too much about a fixture before gambling your cash. Professional and profitable MLB gamblers also consider external factors, such as ballpark dimensions and weather conditions. Does a park encourage big scores, or is it pitcher-friendly?
The Flashscore Advantage: Your Essential Baseball Research Hub
Now you know how to research your baseball picks, I’ll explain how to use Flashscore to access the most up-to-date and reliable information. Flashscore is packed with features that are invaluable when taking on the betting traders.
Detailed game previews and lineups
You can view the probable starting pitchers for every upcoming match from the MLB and beyond at Flashscore. Visit the website or app and select baseball. Choose your preferred competition and select the fixture that catches your eye. You’ll see details of how each team will start, and you can use that information to place well-informed bets.
Deep dive into pitcher stats
Following the stats and trends is important when betting on baseball, and Flashscore knows it. We love the figures and present the most important data. Visit baseball, your favourite competition, and select a team to see the lineup. Click on a player’s profile to view their season stats, ERA, WHIP, and how they performed in their most recent outing.
Head-to-Head (H2H) history
When researching baseball, you’ll see teams often perform best against certain opponents, and players enjoy appearing at their favourite ballparks. Browse the next round of fixtures and click on the head-to-head tab. You’ll see results and match stats on past meetings, and can use that info to identify patterns, such as total runs scored and more.
Live play-by-play and box scores
Have you ever tried Flashscore’s popular live game tracking? It’s ideal for following your bets in real-time, deciding if a cash-out offer is strong or noticing strong opportunities to bet in-play. Our detailed box scores show every run, swing, and mistake.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest bet to make in baseball?
The moneyline. Simply pick which team you expect to win a match.
What does the run line mean in baseball?
It’s the same as the points spread in many other sports. The favourite will open with a handicap, and the underdog will enjoy a head start.
What is more important: starting pitching or hitting?
Both are essential for a winning team, but starting pitching is slightly more important than hitting and will help you focus on key areas when researching.
What is an F5 bet in baseball?
F5 stands for the first five innings of a baseball match. You can gamble on many eye-catching markets in the opening five innings.
What does NRFI stand for in betting?
NRFI stands for No Run First Inning. It’s a betting market that allows you to wager on the score remaining 0-0 after the first inning.
Where can I find reliable stats for MLB betting?
You’ll find everything you need to make predictions and place bets on the MLB, follow the match, and spot in-play value in one place – Flashscore.
What happens to my bet if a baseball game is postponed due to rain?
Most bets are void if a game is postponed or abandoned due to rain. Check your preferred gambling app for its rules.
Is it better to bet on favourites or underdogs in baseball?
Fully researching a match and familiarising yourself with the form of both teams will help you identify the value. Research makes it easy to spot a strong favourite or an underdog with bite.
What does +150 mean in baseball betting?
You may see +150 at a baseball betting app, and it refers to the odds in the American betting format. You can think of +150 as how much profit you’ll get from a £100 stake if a bet lands.
What is the best betting site for baseball?
You can trust any of the major online bookmakers featured on this page to deliver an outstanding baseball betting service, including on Major League Baseball (MLB).
What does +300 mean in baseball betting?
If you see +300 when betting on baseball, it’s likely the price offered on a selection in the American betting odds format. Any price with a positive number is how much you’d win for a £100 stake. Therefore, +300 means you’ll get a £300 profit if you bet £100. It’s the same as 3/1 in fractional betting odds or 4.0 for decimal betting odds.
How to read a baseball betting line?
If you’re gambling on the moneyline, you’ll see the favourite with a negative price attached, such as -150, and the underdog with a positive, such as +150. You’ll also see odds on the runline (handicap) and the total runs.
What is the safest betting site?
Flashscore brings you only the legal bookmakers that are fully licensed to trade in your region. Every sportsbook featured on this page and website comes highly recommended by our team of gambling industry experts.
How to place a bet on baseball?
Study the stats at Flashscore, visit your betting app, and click on baseball. Find your preferred competition and market, click on the odds, add a stake, and confirm. Your bet is now live.
About the author
I have been involved in the gambling industry for almost 20 years, filling a number of important roles, from the trading floor to content editor. My previews and predictions lean heavily on the stats and trends to help readers identify the value and find winning bets. As a former professional boxer, I boast a unique insight into sports and enjoy covering the biggest events.
