11 Expert Picks
Maybe a four-game sweep of the lowly Chisox shouldn't be ...
The Blue Jays have lost six of their nine....
Both teams are struggling to hit. ...
The Nationals come off being no-hit when they visit the Cardinals. ...
Paul Blackburn returns to active duty on the mound ...
Zac Gallen has lost two of his last three starts....
Arizona turns to ace Zac Gallen vs. Pittsburgh. ...
Zac Gallen’s last two home starts he has given up a combined sixteen hits and ten runs. …
The Giants face a must-win series vs. the Rockies. ...
Road Is A Very Different Place
Past Picks
It's hard to believe that the Braves and the Mets have almost the same record with the Mets having one more loss. But when you look at the wins and loss profit margin the Braves are minus-1526 on the year and the Mets plus-470. There's a big difference. The Braves are way overrated and overpriced most of the year. The Mets are playing well at the moment and will be rewarded as Charlie Morton is a weak link in the Braves staff. The Braves have lost five straight.
The San Diego Padres find themselves as big underdogs Friday despite winning five straight. Grayson Rodriguez has had his struggles his last two home starts where he has given up a combined five home runs. This is a homecoming for Jackson Merrill who grew up and went to high school in the Baltimore area. Expect him to put on a show in front of his friends and family. Play his total bases over.
This is a play against Padres starter Adam Mazur, who has surrendered a 1.034 OPS against left-handed hitters. The Orioles' lineup features seven left-handed bats Friday, and for the season Baltimore ranks third in OPS against right-handed pitching. Back Baltimore to lead after five.
The Tampa Bay Rays began their fire sale with the trade of Randy Arozarena to the Seattle Mariners. I love fading teams in the game after trading away a popular player in the clubhouse. Nick Lodolo has reverse splits as right-handed batters are hitting .210 while lefties are hitting .258. The Rays have just one true left-handed hitter in tonight’s projected lineup. Nick has an ERA of 2.84 with an average against of .173 on the road compared to a 4.05 ERA and a .257 average against at home. Shane Baz has struggled against left-handed batters with a .364 average against, a .606 slugging percentage, and 1.052 OPS. The Reds are ranked fifth in bullpen ERA (3.48), while the Rays are ranked 25th (4.37).
There are plenty of ways to bet on baseball and plenty of sports betting terms to know when it comes to betting America's pastime. Every professional baseball team will play 162 regular season games, providing a wide range of baseball bets and MLB picks for you to consider. If you're new to the world of USA sports betting, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the sports betting terminology and number of sports betting sites available. Below are several baseball betting terms to help you make the best MLB picks this season.
Money line:The money line is the simplest and most common type of bet in baseball betting. You’re betting on one team to win outright. If a favorite is -150 on the money line, a $150 bet on that team to win outright would return $100. Conversely, if a team is a +200 underdog, a $100 bet would return $200.
Run line:The run line is a type of point spread bet in baseball. Instead of betting on which team will win the game, you bet on the margin of victory. One team is usually listed as a 1.5-run favorite. The other team is listed as a 1.5-run underdog, with corresponding odds attached to both MLB spreads.
Total (Over/Under):The Over/Under, also referred to as the total, is how many combined runs teams are expected to score in a baseball game. If the Over/Under is set at 8.5, then any combined score lower than that would make the Under cash. Nine or more runs is a win for the Over in your MLB picks.
Futures:Futures are long-term bets that won't resolve on the day they are placed. They are often placed preseason or in-season, and a popular baseball futures bet is picking which team will win the championship. Another is using the Over/Under, except in regards to a team's end-of-season win total. For example, the bar for the number of wins for New York’s pro baseball team could be 81.5, and a baseball futures bet is predicting if it will exceed that number.
Parlay:Parlays are simply the selection of two or more baseball picks on a single wager, where all outcomes must be correct in order for the bet to win. Although risky, parlays remain popular because of the potential to win large sums with minimal investments.
Prop (or proposition) bet:If you are looking for a fun way to bet on baseball, a prop bet is right for you. With a prop bet, you can wager on MLB picks like how many strikeouts a pitcher will record or whether a player will hit a home run.
First five innings (F5):A popular bet in baseball, first five innings (F5) is a wager on which team will be winning when five innings have been completed.
Team totals:The total, or Over/Under, usually refers to how many combined runs both teams score in a game, but team totals are popular as well. These are the MLB picks where a bettor will pick Over or Under on how many runs one team scores. If New York’s team total is set at 4.5, any runs total of five or higher would cash the Over, while anything fewer than five results in a win for the Under.
NRFI (No Runs First Inning):A popular bet for those who wager on baseball, NRFI stands for 'No Run First Inning.' The bet can be a bit risky considering both teams generally stack their best hitters towards the top of their lineups. The odds on NRFI bets are variable mostly depending on the quality of pitchers.
Player strikeouts:This bet refers to how many times a player will strike out in a single game. The Over/Under for total strikeouts is often 0.5 with adjusted odds for both wagers.
To hit a home run:If you think a player will hit a home run at any point in the game, you can place a bet, often times for a plus-money payout. You can also bet on who hits the first home run of the game.
To record a hit:Every player is assigned a total for hits in a single game, with bettors placing wagers on if they’ll exceed or fall short of the assigned total. For instance, if you place a bet on a player to record Over 1.5 hits, that player will need to finish with two hits for the bet to be a winner. If the player records just one hit, the bet is a loser.
Total bases:Another popular batter props bet is total bases. Bases are awarded on hits only, with the following scoring system: Single = 1 base, Double = 2 bases, Triple = 3 bases and Home Run = 4 bases.
To record an RBI:RBI stands for ‘Run Batted In.” Sportsbooks will offer an Over/Under on how many RBI a player will record in a single game.
1st inning total runs:An Over/Under is set on how many runs will be scored in the first inning. Oftentimes, Sportsbooks set the Over/Under for total runs scored in the first inning at 0.5 or 1.5.
Correct score:Correct score betting involves predicting the final score of a baseball game. These bets are typically hard to predict, which is why they’re often listed at plus-money odds. You can also predict the exact score of each inning at most sportsbooks.
Player performance doubles:This bet is similar to a parlay, meaning it involves two or more wagers. Player performance doubles often feature over/under starting pitcher strikeouts and a money line pick on which team will win outright.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Q: Can I bet on a baseball game after it has begun?A: Yes, most sportsbooks offer live-betting, meaning you can place wagers on live-updated totals or even the outcome of the next at-bat.
Q: What happens if a baseball game is postponed?A: It will vary by sportsbook, but most will void and refund unless the game is rescheduled within a certain timeframe.
Q: What is a push in baseball sports betting?A: A push means the point spread or point total hits the exact number in which you bet. For example, if the Over/Under is eight runs, and the game finishes 5-3, the bet is a push and will be refunded.
Q: How do I know which team is the favorite?A: The favorite is usually listed with a negative number, while the underdog is listed with a positive number. For instance, if New York is favored to beat Boston, New York will be listed at -135 (risk $135 to win $100). As the underdog, Boston would be listed at +175 (risk $100 to $175).