Cincinnati Reds Odds & Betting

If you're a regular attendee at the Great American Ball Park, the fact that sports betting is now legal in Ohio provides you with another reason to cheer on the Reds this season. 

As we explain here, there are many ways to back the Reds as they take to the field, providing you with many profit-making opportunities. So, without further ado, let's look at everything you need to know about betting on the Cincinnati Reds this year and what options you have when building your betting slip.

How to Bet on the Cincinnati Reds

Betting on the Cincinnati Reds is super straightforward as soon as you get the hang of how MLB odds work (more on this below). The beauty of MLB betting is that you can build value on your betting slip by placing a wide variety of wagers, including: 

The moneyline 

The run line 

Totals betting 

Prop betting 

Parlay betting 

Live betting 

Futures betting 

While these aspects of sports betting might sound a little complex from the start, the reality is that they're really easy to understand. They all offer you unique and exciting ways of backing the Reds, from the number of strikeouts for Castillo per game, to whether the Reds will win the World Series. 

Ultimately, there are so many ways to put money on the Reds this season, and we explain everything you need to know about placing your bets below.

How do MLB Odds Work?

Betting on the Cincinnati Reds is a great way to show your support for the team in more ways than one this season. If you're smart about it, you might also land a decent profit as the season progresses. 

But before we dive into the different types of bets you can place on the Reds, we want to begin by explaining how to read MLB odds. 

MLB odds are expressed in three different ways: British (fractional), European (decimal), or American. As a US bettor, you will most commonly see odds expressed in the American format. 

American odds always start with either a plus (+) or minus (-). The plus represents the underdog, while the minus is the favorite. Next to the symbol is a three-digit number. 

Positive odds indicate how much you will earn in profit from a $100 wager. Negative odds indicate how much you need to wager to win $100. 

For example, let's say that the Reds are (+130) against the Yankees (-120). If you fancy the Reds, a $100 bet will return you $130 in profit, while a $120 bet on the Yankees would return $100. As you can see, the Yankees are the clear favorites for the matchup. 

You can bet as much or as little as you like, and you just need to calculate the odds based on the amount that you wager. Most sportsbooks do this calculation for you, making things nice and easy.

Now that you understand the basics let's look at some of the most popular Cincinnati Reds bets you can place this season.

The Most Popular Cincinnati Reds Odds and Betting Explained 

The moneyline 

In a moneyline bet, your only concern is which team wins the game. You don't need to worry about which team or player scores the runs; you only select who you think will win the fixture. As such, it's the easiest MLB to understand and place. 

Here's an example of how a Reds moneyline bet might look: 

Cincinnati Reds (+130) vs. Chicago Cubs (-120) 

In this instance, the sportsbook has favored the Cubs to beat the Reds. We know this because the favorite is always represented by a minus, while the underdog has a plus next to their odds. 

The numbers given relate to your winnings based on a $100 bet. For instance, if you bet $100 on the Reds to win, your profit would be $130. 

However, if you agree with the sportsbook and think the Cubs are too strong for the Reds, you must bet $120 to return $100. Although the moneyline is given in multiples of 100, you don't need to bet $100 if you don't want to.

For instance, a $10 bet on the Reds would return $13 in profit, and a $12 bet on the Cubs would put your winnings at $10. Simple enough, right?

When you're just getting started with betting on the Reds, we'd recommend sticking to the moneyline as you understand how sports betting works. You can proceed to some of the other Cincinnati Reds bet types when you're a little more confident, as explained below.

Spread betting (The run line)

In baseball, spread betting is known as the run line. The run line is a type of handicap that slightly levels the playing field. In baseball, the run line is typically set at 1.5. Here's what a run line bet on the Reds might look like: 

The Reds @ The Brewers 

Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (-110) 

Cincinnati Reds +1.5 (-110) 

Here, the Brewers are clear favorites to beat the Reds, as the sportsbook is essentially giving Cincinnati a two-run headstart. The number given signifies how many runs will be substituted from or added to the team's score at the end of the game. 

So, if you bet on the Reds in the above example, a defeat by less than two runs will win you your bet. As in the moneyline, the three-digit number in brackets are the odds being offered by the sportsbook on the outcome. 

Totals (over/under) betting 

If you're settling in to watch a baseball game and are unsure which team will come out on top, you can opt for a totals bet. Rather than picking a winner, a totals bet lets you bet on how many runs are likely to be scored. 

The sportsbook will set the line before the game, and you can then bet on whether you think more or fewer runs than the total will be scored. Here's what a totals bet might look like on the Reds: 

The Cardinals @ The Reds 

Over 8 (-120) 

Under 8 (+110) 

In this instance, the sportsbook is relatively confident that more than eight runs will be scored when St Louis travels to Cincinnati. A $120 bet will return $100 in profit if you agree. 

Betting the over is a super fun way to keep things interesting throughout a baseball game, as it doesn't matter which team scores the runs. You can sit on the bleachers and hope for a high-scoring game for more reasons than one. 

However, if both teams are struggling for form and conditions don't favor run-scoring, it's a good idea to bet the under. 

Note that the sportsbook will calculate the points total before each match and will vary from fixture to fixture. As such, do your research before placing a totals bet, so you can decide if a high or low-scoring matchup is more likely.

Prop betting

Prop bets allow you to wager on events within a match that are not related to the final outcome. You can bet on things like runs, strikeouts, as well as errors within each innings. Prop bets are typically split into team and player props. Here are some examples of both: 

Reds team prop examples 

Which team will score first? The Reds or The Cardinals? 

Will either team score a run in the first inning? 

The total number of hits, runs, and errors for both teams combined (over/under).

The first team to score three runs in the game.

Reds player prop examples 

Total hits, runs, and RBIs - Jonathan India - Under/Over 2.5? 

Total strikeouts - Luis Castillo - Over/Under 4.5? 

Which player will record the first hit for The Reds vs. The Cardinals? 

You can make as many proposition bets as you like on the baseball match you're watching, and it's a great way to keep things interesting throughout each inning. 

To prepare for your prop bets, it's a good idea to study the form of the current players on the Reds' roster, so you know which bets represent good value on your slip. 

Parlay betting

A parlay bet allows you to bring multiple wagers into the same bet and is sometimes referred to as an accumulator. The most common MLB parlay includes two or more teams to win and is a great way of increasing your potential profits. The catch with parlays is that all your selections need to win for the bet to be successful. 

Here's a parlay example: 

Red Sox, Yankees, Reds to win (+310) 

By bringing three teams together in a parlay, you will receive better odds from the sportsbook compared to placing the bets individually. 

Adding an underdog alongside two favorites is a great way to build parlay odds. But of course, you need to bear in mind that the underdog is unfancied for a reason, and your risk might not pay off.

You can also build different types of MLB parlays, opting for totals or prop bets if you prefer. This is another great way to add value to your betting slip. 

Live betting

When an MLB game is underway, one of the best ways to keep things interesting is to place some bets on the live markets available. Live betting is also known as in-play betting and is available on most sportsbooks as soon as the action is underway. 

The beauty of in-play betting is that the odds change to reflect what is happening out on the field. This is the case with totals, the moneyline, and team and player prop bets. 

So, if you've got a good feeling about how the Reds have started in the first inning, you can build your bet slip to reflect your newfound confidence! 

Futures betting

An MLB futures bet enables you to bet on the action ahead of time, as the name suggests. The best time to place a futures bet is at the start of the season, but you can also add futures to your bet slip throughout the year. 

Examples of Reds futures bets include: 

The Reds' odds of winning the World Series

Will the Reds make the playoffs? 

Castillo for MLB season MVP?

Reds rookie of the season? 

You can have a lot of fun with futures betting, and you typically get good odds before a ball is pitched. Therefore, you can see decent returns from low-value bets and see how likely your prediction is to come in as the season progresses.