MLB Betting Odds
From opening day to the last game of the World Series, there are hundreds of MLB games to bet on every year. Online sportsbooks in Ohio will have multiple odds posted for each game including the top three pregame bets: moneylines, run lines and totals.
You can find year-round World Series odds, MVP odds and more. Check the latest lines below direct from Ohio online sportsbooks.
AL and NL winner odds
Each season, there are several viable contenders to make a run at the World Series on both the American League and National League sides of the equation. You can bet on the league winners in the MLB futures market.
AL Winner odds
NL Winner odds
MLB player prop odds
MLB futures also let you place your bets on things like which player will win the MVP or Cy Young award, or lead the league in home runs or strikeouts.
Trout MVP, prop odds
Ohtani MVP, prop odds
Soto MVP, prop odds
Best MLB betting sites in Ohio
As Ohio sports betting continues to expand, several sportsbooks have emerged as go-to spots for bettors. DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM, for instance, attract lots of betting action and boast plenty of users. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they’re perfect. Here are the strengths and weaknesses for all three books:
| Sportsbook | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| DraftKings Ohio App | Smooth platform with awesome layout for prop bets. | Could use more regular MLB promos and odds boosts. |
| FanDuel Ohio App | Easy to use and visually appealing, great for parlays. | No prop betting menu for the entire slate; have to click on each game. |
| BetMGM Ohio App | Solid approach for live betting, solid ongoing promo offers. | Moneyline odds aren’t always competitive with the rest of the market. |
How to read MLB lines and odds
When you visit an online sportsbook, you’ll find a dedicated link for MLB or baseball. Once you click on it, the betting lobby will automatically list all of the upcoming games. They’ll appear in order by start time. For each matchup, it’s the home team on the bottom with the road side on top. An example game may look like this.
| Run Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds | +1.5 (-150) | +105 | Over 8.5 (-110) |
| Cleveland Guardians | -1.5 (+130) | -125 | Under 8.5 (-110) |
Next to the two teams are a series of numbers. From left to right, these are the odds and lines for run line, moneyline and total bets. When reading the numbers, here’s what to remember:
- Negative numbers: On the run line and moneyline bets, the side with the negative number is the favorite.
- Positive numbers: Positive numbers on the run line and moneyline indicate the underdog.
- Odds and lines: For run lines and totals, there are two numbers: the sportsbook’s line and the odds for placing the bet.
Going back to our example, the Guardians are favored on the run line and moneyline in a game with the over/under at 8.5 runs. Knowing what the odds board is telling you is a big first step toward finding some success with legal MLB betting.
The odds can also help you figure out how much you could get back on winning bets. Here’s a quick way to ballpark it based on the direction of the odds.
- When odds are negative, that’s how much you have to bet to win back $100.
- A $125 bet at odds of -125 returns a profit of $100 if you win.
- When odds are positive, it’s equal to how much you’ll get back on successful $100 bets.
- A $100 bet at odds of +105 returns a profit of $105 if you win.
When you first encounter MLB betting odds, the board can seem pretty confusing. However, a little bit of practice can help you overcome the learning curve quickly. You’ll be able to view upcoming slates of games with confidence and pick your spots that much easier.
Finding the best MLB betting lines
While the overall market for MLB betting lines will likely be similar from sportsbook to sportsbook, that doesn’t mean that you’ll always find exactly the same numbers. As such, you should try to shop around to find the best prices if there’s a bet you want to place.
Each sportsbook sets its own lines, so there may be differences in how they view an upcoming game. For example, Caesars Sportsbook Ohio may have the favorite in a game at -140, while the BetRivers Ohio app has the same team at -135.
While that looks like only a small difference, it can add up over time, and you also may find larger differences in places. MLB betting lines can also shift in response to betting action and other developments after the initial release. Since the various online sports betting sites take in different wager amounts on each side of a game, it’s impossible for them to always be in sync.
Line shopping, which simply means that you are comparing the odds across a range of sportsbooks, can help you spot the favorable and unfavorable situations. It’s a valuable tool as you work toward building up success with MLB betting.