The undeniable popularity of sports betting has captured the attention of sports enthusiasts and gamblers alike. The allure of winning big bucks while enjoying the sport they love opened doors for fans of “America’s favorite pastime” to join in and try out baseball betting.
However, as with most forms of sports betting, there are certain things to stay clear of to maximize winnings and minimize losses. That’s why we’ve made a short overview of strategies first-time betters and even betting veterans should keep in mind.
5 Bad Baseball Betting Strategies
Betting on Favorites
Baseball team favorites tend to command a higher betting price than other teams in the Major League Baseball (MLB). Why? Because oddsmakers understand that the average better would choose those teams on any given day. Armed with this knowledge, they work the sheets and bump up the prices to turn in more profit.
The result? A smaller payout for winning, but a devastating cost for losing. And that does not translate into a good time, even for recreational betters.
Protip: Place your bets on plus-money underdogs whenever possible. Not only will you enjoy a bigger payout when they win, but you’ll also only lose what you risked on a loss.
Joining the Crowd
As the casino saying goes, “the house always wins.” The house would usually favor baseball teams that are favorites, playing at home, or those with big-name players. And traditionally, uninformed betters would lean towards house favorites due to gut instincts or inflated numbers. This is called public betting, which usually leads to more losses than wins.
Betting Against the Public is a popular sports betting strategy that will help you rack up more wins and larger payouts. The approach encourages betters to bet on the opposite team the public is going for. Not only does it limit your losses, but it will also increase your long-term winning rate by around 1-3%
Blind Betting
Placing bets merely based on personal preferences, like your home team or favorite baseball player, is a big no-no in baseball betting. Not knowing who’s playing who, the umpires involved, and the weather forecast before placing your bets can result in considerable losses.
Instead, do a quick research to understand the gaming conditions before betting. Check the lineup for both teams. Know which umpires are officiating the game, as their attitude could go in favor or against your team. Browse through the weather forecast for the scheduled match since wind plays a significant role in the outcome of baseball games.
Not Studying the Betting Percentages
In general, sports betting runs on percentages. Successful sports betters usually check the difference between betting line moves and betting percentages.
Monitoring the Reverse Line Movement (RLM) gives a good insight on who to bet for in an upcoming game. Typically, sharp bettors influence the reverse movement of betting lines and betting percentages. Their actions are a good indicator of which teams to bet on in any given game. Following the RLM places new betters in a safer place when placing bets, as losses are not that big and wins are better.
Neglecting Bankroll
In sports betting, your bankroll acts as your bloodline. Poor money management leads to severe damage in finances, mental health, and ultimately not having a good time.
Make sure to manage your bankroll by playing strategically in every bet properly. You can also opt to use a flat-betting process, where your bets are the same each time. The suggested betting amount would be around 3% of your total bankroll.
Additionally, avoid betting on parleys. While they may look like big payouts, the unfair odds placed on them would often result in a loss for the better.
Place Your Bets Wisely
Knowing what to avoid in baseball betting significantly helps a better’s chance of winning games. While there’s no absolute strategy to win baseball bets, these tips should give you a good grasp of placing smart bets.
