MLB Betting in PA

Major League Baseball’s regular season runs from late March through the end of September.

For fans, that translates into 162 games for their favorite teams, not to mention a lot of out-of-market action to enjoy.

There are games to look forward to each and every day over a six-month stretch. When you add the postseason in October, there’s another whole month of games on tap. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans, not to mention scores of sports bettors.

Betting on the MLB is big business as it’s one of the top choices at legal and regulated sportsbooks.

The interest level continues to grow by leaps and bounds as more states give the green light to sports wagering. Pennsylvania is among the states that are ahead of the curve, and business is booming.

The sheer number of MLB games to choose from, all the various bet types, and making heads or tails of the baseball odds and lines can seem confusing at first glance. However, that’s not the case.

We’re going to cover everything you need to know right here. By the time you get through with this article, you’ll understand all the popular MLB bets and how you can get in on the action.

We’ll begin by taking a look at a question that’s at the top of mind for PA sports bettors who are looking to take the plunge.

Best MLB betting sites in Pennsylvania

Is it legal to bet on baseball in Pennsylvania?

Yes, it’s completely legal to bet on sports in PA at licensed and regulated operators.

The state was one of the first to act in the wake of the landmark US Supreme Court ruling in May 2018, which effectively placed the legality question in the hands of individual states.

Retail sportsbooks began opening their doors toward the end of the same year, and an online and mobile rollout followed in 2019. The Keystone State is now being serviced by a number of the industry’s leading operators.

You can bet on all the major sports in PA, including MLB, and there is a wide range of bet types.

For example, single-game wagers are perfectly fine, as are multi-team parlays and player props.

The only caveat is that the wagers must revolve around an actual sporting event.

As such, you won’t find betting on things that are classified as entertainment or political, or non-game related sports bets such as on the NFL Draft.

Baseball betting apps

If you’re looking to bet on sports, then it’s tough to beat the experience on mobile.

Once you download an MLB betting app, it’s like having a sportsbook in your pocket.

Apps from the industry leaders are easy to install, simple to use, and beyond convenient. You can bet from anywhere within state borders at any time.

To verify that you are where you say you are, sports betting apps use geolocation verification technology to track your whereabouts. It’s not intrusive in the slightest, and it will prompt you to learn all you need to know while signing up.

Top 3 MLB betting apps

Let’s take a look at the top mobile apps you can use to bet on MLB in PA this season.

• DraftKings PA – $25 Free, up to $1,000 in bonuses: The daily fantasy sports (DFS) giant is a big player in sports betting as well. A slick platform and ongoing promotions are among the calling cards. Among the current offerings is parlay insurance in which you get your money back, up to $25, if you miss out on one leg of a five-plus team parlay wager.
• Fox Bet – $20 free, up to $100, in bonuses: In conjunction with The Stars Group, media giant Fox has thrown its hat into the sports betting ring via its Fox Bet app. It has gained plenty of traction thanks to tie-ins from its sports betting focused programming, including ongoing promotions such as its “Lock It In” bet boost.
• FanDuel – Risk-free bet, up to $500: FanDuel has taken the same principles that made it a smash hit in DFS and taken it over to sports betting. You can look forward to a simple-to-use interface and excellent promotional offerings. Current promos include multi-sport parlay insurance on five-plus leg bets. If you miss a leg, you get up to $25 back.

As MLB season rolls along, keep an eye on the promotional tabs at all three of these operators. New promos are consistently on offer, so you should see some that are specific to MLB.

Signing up for each of these apps is a breeze.

Click on our exclusive links to take advantage of the bonus offers, enter some individual info, download the app for your device from the main website, log in and you’re all set.

How does a baseball betting line look?

There are three facets to an MLB betting line:

• Totals: This is the projected total runs scored in the game.
• Run Line: Similar to spread betting, this is a number that a team will be favored by, such as 1.5 runs.
• Moneyline: These are the odds for each side to win the game.

MLB betting odds

Oddsmakers set the lines for each MLB game on the docket. You can typically get a sneak peek the night before, with all MLB odds officially released the day of the game.

After the lines come out, the public gets its chance to react. You may see movement in the odds as a result of market action.

Paying attention to shifts in the lines from the open to the time you are ready to place your bets can help to give you a great sense of market sentiment and allow you to spot potential value opportunities.

How to bet on baseball

There are several ways to get in the game with MLB. Let’s take a look at the most popular bet types:

Moneyline betting in baseball

For a moneyline wager, you simply choose who will win the game between the favorite and underdog.

• New York Mets +110
• Philadelphia Phillies -130

Totals betting in baseball

Also known as over/under bets, sportsbooks set the bar with estimated runs scored in the game, and bettors then weigh in.

• Over 8.5 (-110)
• Under 8.5 (-110)

Run line betting in baseball

A wager on the margin of victory. It’s typically set at 1.5 runs for baseball. You choose the favorite, minus the runs, or the underdog, plus the runs.

• St. Louis Cardinals +1.5 (-110)
• Pittsburgh Pirates -1.5 (-110)

First Five Innings betting in baseball

These bets revolve only around the first five innings of the game. They continue to grow in popularity.

• Milwaukee Brewers +125
• Minnesota Twins -115

Alternate Run Lines betting in baseball

This is an option to increase or decrease the standard run line in a bid to find more favorable returns.

• Boston Red Sox +2.5 (+105)
• New York Yankees -3.5 (+135)

Inning Lines betting in baseball

Typically, this wager revolves around whether or not a run will be scored in the first inning of an MLB game.

• Yes -110
• No -120

MLB Series Betting

These wagers revolve around which team will come out on top in a full set of games.

• San Francisco Giants +140
• Los Angeles Dodgers -120

MLB prop bets

For even more MLB betting opportunities, take a look at the prop bet offerings for each game on the docket.

A prop bet is essentially a side wager on something that may or may not happen during a game.

You’ll find props that revolve around individual players, as well as team-based scenarios to consider, such as:

• Which team will score the first run in the game?
• Which team will be the first to score three runs?
• Will total home runs in the game be over/under 2.5?
• The over/under on total hits, runs and RBIs for Mike Trout – 2.5
• Who will record more strikeouts in the game: Clayton Kershaw or Jacob deGrom?

MLB win totals explained

In advance of the MLB regular season, oddsmakers release estimated win totals for each of the 30 teams. It’s part of the futures market, and bettors can decide if they like a team to win more or less than the estimated number of games. For example:

• Atlanta Braves Over 90.5 -120
• Atlanta Braves Under 90.5 +100

Win totals make for a great way to get a handle on the upcoming season.

After a glance from top to bottom, you’ll have a sense of which teams are contenders or pretenders, and which ones project to be somewhere in the middle.

After the initial release, the baseball odds and totals may adjust based on market action or events that may impact a team, such as an unexpected trade of a star player.

The MLB futures market is quite active and potentially lucrative, but remember that these are long-term wagers in which your stake will be tied up until the bet can be settled one way or the other.

In-play: Pros and cons of live betting

Live betting allows you to get in on the action after the first pitch. Also known as in-play wagering, live betting offers new opportunities as the action unfolds on the field in real-time.

Opportunities will vary based on what transpires on the field, but here’s a sampling of some of the more popular wagers you may come across:

• The first team to reach three runs.
• What will be the outcome of the next at-bat?
• How many pitches will be thrown in this inning, and the over/under?

Live betting continues to rise in popularity, and it has essentially become a must-have feature at online and mobile sportsbooks.

• Pros: Fast-paced market, which provides additional wagering opportunities after the game is underway.
• Cons: Chances of additional losses amplify, especially when it comes to choices that amount to little more than a coin flip.

How MLB works: Spring training, regular season and playoffs

There are three distinct parts to a complete MLB season.

Spring training

Pitchers and catchers typically report to camp by the middle of February, while the remainder of the team arrives soon thereafter.

Preseason takes place in Florida and Arizona, and each team will have several games to play as they get ready for the regular season.

Betting is available on MLB spring training, but be selective with your choices as playing time for stars and top pitchers is tough to project.

Regular season

The games that matter begin in late March and run through the end of September.

Each of MLB’s 30 teams play a 162-game schedule. Teams are broken down into two leagues — American and National — with three divisions each.

The division winners at the end of the regular season qualify for the postseason, as do two wild card teams. Regular-season odds and lines attract much more attention than during spring training, and bettors can make more educated guesses.

Playoffs

Five teams from both the American and National leagues qualify for the playoffs.

The two wild card teams in the league — the squads with the best records outside of the division winners — open things up with a single-elimination game. The winner advances to the divisional round.

There are two divisional round series in each league, and the winners advance to the League Championship Series.

The winners of the two LCS will advance to the World Series. Betting on the MLB postseason is incredibly popular, so paying attention to line moves from open to game time is even more critical this time of year.

Pennsylvania MLB teams

PA is home to a pair of MLB teams, both of which have incredibly passionate followings.

Philadelphia Phillies

• Home Games: Citizens Bank Park
• World Series Titles: Two, 1980 and 2008
• 2019 Record: 81-81, fourth in NL East
• Top Hitter: Bryce Harper
• Top Pitcher: Aaron Nola

It was a challenging 2019 season for a Phillies team, which was expected to be a factor in the NL postseason. Optimism is high that better days are coming, as the futures market points to Philadelphia being in the mix for a playoff spot this year.

Pittsburgh Pirates

• Home Games: PNC Park
• World Series Titles: Five, 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, 1979
• 2019 Record: 69-93, fifth in NL Central
• Top Hitter: Josh Bell
• Top Pitcher: Chris Archer

The Pirates haven’t tasted the postseason since 2015. It’s not looking like that’s going to change in 2020, either, as the futures market has the regular-season win total set at 69.5. That said, it’s not out of the question for the team to outperform expectations.

Five MLB players from Pennsylvania

Scores of baseball players from PA have made it to the highest level of the sport.

Here are five of the best MLB players from the state, all of whom have been enshrined in the Hall of Fame:

• Stan Musial: Lifetime .331 batting average is among the accolades over his legendary 22-year career.
• Reggie Jackson: Also known as “Mr. October” for his postseason heroics, Jackson smacked 563 home runs over 21 seasons.
• Honus Wagner: While he wrapped up his playing career in 1917, Wagner’s legend is still going strong.
• Ken Griffey Jr.: The second-generation superstar made it to 13 All-Star Games before his stellar career wrapped up in 2010.
• Bruce Sutter: One of the greatest relief pitchers in MLB history, Sutter racked up 300 saves and won the 1979 National League Cy Young Award.

Matt Adams, Neil Walker and Nate Karns are among the current MLB players who were born in PA.

Baseball betting tips

While getting started with MLB betting may seem intimidating at first glance, it doesn’t take long to get up to speed.

Just like starting with any new sport, it’s essential to keep it simple at the beginning and build out from there.

Here are a few basic points to get started:

• Pitching Matchups: Analyze the day’s starting pitchers: Does either side have a big advantage? What about when the bullpens get involved?
• Hitting Matchups: Some teams hit lefties well, while others struggle against southpaws. The same applies to righties. Look to see how teams perform on an overall basis versus the starting pitching hand they’ll be facing.
• Recent Play: It’s a long season, which means teams will go through hot and cold streaks. Team performance over the last five or 10 games can indicate the current state of play.
• Understand the Odds: Know what the lines are telling you. Big favorites are that way for a reason, as are gigantic underdogs. However, don’t let that stop you from going against the grain when you spot an inefficiency in the market.

After you have mastered these four steps, you can begin building out your MLB betting strategy.

You can begin examining more advanced hitting and pitching stats and look at historical team versus pitcher matchups, for example.

The most important part of building out a strategy is zeroing in on the factors that you feel move the needle the most.

It’s easy to get lost in the analysis, but a focused plan can help cut your time down immensely.

There are plenty of MLB betting strategies to be found on the interwebs as well, so take the time to do some research and pull out the pieces that you like from each. Here are a few popular methods that MLB bettors use:

• Divisional Underdogs: Divisional foes square off often, so this theory suggests zeroing in on appealing underdogs from the divisional games on the daily schedule.
• Shopping for the Best Line: The moneyline sees most of the action in MLB, but not all lines are created equal. Don’t be shy about checking multiple books as you hunt for the best odds.
• Reverse Line Movement: This happens when the betting public comes in overwhelmingly on one side, but the odds move in the opposite direction. This can be a sign that sharp action has come in on the other side.