MLB Lines and Spreads

The MLB Moneyline

The easiest way to bet on MLB is to place a moneyline bet. As in all sports, your only job in an MLB moneyline bet is to pick the winner of a particular fixture. It doesn’t matter how many runs are scored or who scores them; your only concern is which team is most likely to win. Here’s what an MLB moneyline bet might look like: 

Toronto Blue Jays (+175) vs. Cleveland Guardians (-140)

Here, the Guardians are favorites for the fixture, as indicated by their negative odds, while the Blue Jays are underdogs, as shown by their positive odds. If you agree with the sportsbook and think that the Guardians will win, a $140 bet will return a profit of $100. However, if you fancy the Blue Jays for an upset, a $100 bet will return $175 in profit.

You can place moneyline bets throughout the MLB season, and it’s a great way to get into sports betting due to its simplicity. But if you want to ramp things up on your MLB betting slip, you could consider betting on the run line, as explained below.

The MLB Run Line (Spread Betting) 

Sports fans love spread betting, as it usually offers better value than a straight-up moneyline bet. Spread betting in baseball is more commonly referred to as the run line and is a form of handicap betting that levels the playing field. 

In a run line bet, the sportsbook provides the underdog with a headstart and deducts points from the favorite, giving them a handicap. For a run line bet to come in, your selection needs to maintain their head start or overcome their handicap. Here’s an MLB run line example: 

Chicago Cubs -2.5 (-120) vs. Baltimore Orioles +2.5 (+120)

Here, the sportsbook has set the run line at 2.5. If you back the Cubs, they will need to win the match by at least 3 points to overcome their 2.5-run handicap. Alternatively, if the Orioles lose by 2 points or less, a bet on Baltimore will be successful.

As you can see, the MLB run line is a great way to level the playing field, and invites bettors to back the favorites and underdogs in equal measure, hence its popularity.

Recap: MLB Lines and Spreads

Lines and spreads are two of the most popular MLB betting types and are ideal for getting started. If you want to learn more about MLB betting and are keen to discover the different bets you can place on your favorite baseball teams throughout the season, check out our complete guide to betting on MLB.