Baseball wagers are extremely popular among professional bettors because they offer one of the best ways to make a quick buck. Baseball is one of the easiest sports to handicap. Many games are decided by just a run or two. You don’t have to worry too much about the spread, like you do on football or basketball.
A baseball wager is done by laying or taking money odds. It is based primarily on moneylines, and with its relative simplicity, betting on baseball offers some of the easiest money to be made in sportsbooks. The minus (-) indicates the favorite; the plus (+) indicates the underdog.
If you only see the minus (-) sign on one team, the other team is automatically the underdog.
On money odds whenever there is a minus (-), you lay that amount to win a dollar; where there is a plus (+) you get that amount for every dollar wagered.
For example:
Dodgers +134
Phillies -144
You must lay $100 to win $134 or $10 to win $13.4 on the Dodgers. You must lay $144 to win $100 or $14.4 to win $10 on the Phillies.
Placing a baseball wager is a bit different than in other sports. While the payoffs can be just as rewarding, it's vital to understand the different kinds of wagers available.
| DATE | MATCHUP | MONEY | RUN LINE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Oct. 27, 08:05pm EDT |
Toronto Blue Jays at | +171 | (+1.5) -118 | (O: 8) -116 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | -190 | (-1.5) -102 | (U: 8) -104 |
*As of 2024 season |
*As of 2024 season |
*As of 2025 season |