“One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something” – Nolan Ryan

Many longtime sports bettors will say that baseball is the easiest of the major sports in which to show a profit, yet it’s one of the least wagered on sports around. The most common assumption on why sports gamblers don’t wager on baseball is that they don’t know how. There is no point spread and the odds used for baseball wagering look foreign to them. But it’s actually quite easy. To dive a little deeper and get you ready for another baseball season, let’s touch on the key things one has to remember when it comes to baseball betting.

1. Know baseball

The game itself is a good starting point: the positions, how it’s played and strategies teams use to attack and counter the opposition. The more you know in that regard, the more informative you’ll be when you start dissecting all 30 MLB teams to try to get a good grasp on which teams are better or worse than previous seasons have shown. One of the tricky aspects in pro baseball is teams with pedestrian looking rosters can out-perform themselves. A closer look at the latest roster subtractions, additions and role changes is needed; as is a scouting eye toward the young talent that could help you better assess a team on the rise.

2. Baseball wagers

Money lines are the same with every sport when betting, and basically you’re picking the winner of the contest, straight up. The only trick here is that teams are assigned specific odds based on who is expected to win. It’s more advantageous to attack bigger money lines for underdogs that have a very distinct edge going into a game.

Totals. Some bettors don’t like betting on the money lines, which pushes the total to the forefront for some. It needn’t replace the money lines bet, but both can be a lot of fun and after a while you can get a feel for how teams play individually, as well as how they operate in certain stadiums and in certain matchups.

Run lines. You can bet straight up or on the Total, or you can throw the spread into the equation. This is the other really popular wager type when it comes to MLB betting, although it can be pretty risky due to the volatility of pro baseball.

Futures. It is another extremely popular wager in baseball, but it has nothing to do with the day to day sports betting scene. Instead, you’re looking ahead to division titles, pennants, MVP awards and the World Series winner. Betting on futures lets you take your knowledge and insight to a different level, where you can play the long game and bet on underdogs to take over their division, make deep playoff runs or even win the World Series. It’s pretty ambitious and a little riskier, but if you nail an underdog pick, it can pay for months of baseball betting.

3. 5-Inning lines

A 5-Inning line is a money line that uses the score after five innings to determine the winner, rather than the final score. It is similar to betting on the first half of a football or basketball game. Odds on a 5-inning line will usually be very similar to the regular money line odds; however, due to the shortened nature of the bet, the starting pitcher match-up is weighted more heavily and may sway the odds one way or the other.

4. Pitchers

Since the pitcher is one of the most important positions the line or odds are based largely by the starting pitchers listed. Taking this into account you have four options when betting baseball. Listed Pitcher – a baseball bet is made on a game stating listed pitchers and both of the listed pitchers must start the game. A pitcher is determined to have made a start after he throws the opening pitch for his team. If one, or both, of the listed pitchers do not start the game, the bet has no action and the bettor’s money is refunded. Team Action – If you bet on a team with normal action, and then the bet is good regardless of a change in starting pitchers for either team. The odds may be adjusted if there is a change in the listed pitchers. Team action against listed pitcher- In this situation a bet can be made on a team and the bet is good regardless of whether or not the listed pitcher starts for that team as long as the listed pitcher for the other team does in fact start the game.

5. Strategies for choosing your sports books

A running theme at Sports Insights is that “all sportsbooks are not created equal”, and that proverb holds true in baseball. One of the most important things to be aware of when placing a money line bet is if the sportsbook offers “dime line” odds. Dime line odds ensures that the odds on the favorite and the ‘dog will always be separated by 10 cents on the dollar, hence the term “dime line”. For instance, if a favorite is given -150 odds, then the underdog will have a line of +140, a 10 cent difference. Dime lines are great because they ensure that a sportsbook can’t over-shade a favorite, or else they risk exposing themselves to very large underdog lines on the back side. Simply by choosing a dime line book over a 20 cent book you can ensure that your units won will be higher in the long term, regardless of who you bet.

Generally speaking, if you know baseball, stay on top of stats and injuries and pay mind to weather, the park and the matchups, you’re going to be in a good spot. Most importantly, you’ll want to keep baseball betting fun. Don’t make it a chore and always be sure to monitor your bankroll and betting habits so it doesn’t develop into a dangerous addiction. Spending money in baseball betting isn’t a bad thing. It’s no worse than renting movies or going out to eat, provided you do it in moderation and put in the time to avoid lazy losses. Go in prepared, gradually build up your confidence and bankroll and enjoy a successful baseball season.