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MLB is the premiere baseball league in the U.S. that has captivated not only Americans but different nationalities from various countries as well. It's because of this popularity that many people are enticed to follow their favorite team and in turn bet on them.
But betting is not as simple as placing money on a team of your choice. If you just follow that rule alone, you’ll end up losing a lot of money – trust us.
The tops teams are not the best.
This most likely will come as a surprise to most betting newbies because this isn’t the case when you’re betting in the NBA and the NFL where the top teams win a lot of games. In the MLB, things aren’t that way because even the top teams such as the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs lose a lot of games.
The best example that proves this was when the Los Angeles Angels were ranked as the No. 1 team during the 2014 MLB season. However, they had a 98-64 record, thus losing nearly 40% of the team’s games. Compare that to the NBA’s no. 1 team, the Golden State Warriors which has a 73-9 and 67-15 record in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 NBA seasons respectively.
Never solely rely on the team’s starting pitchers.
This is one of the most common mistakes that bettors do. People think that they should see the starting pitcher as the one who can increase the team’s winning chances.
Though there's some truth to this, it isn't the case often. This is despite the fact that the names of the two starting pitchers are placed next to the team's odds.
The usual game culture in the MLB is that its pitchers don't make it past the sixth inning, which means that they don't have a huge effect on the entirety much so in the outcome of the game. The starting pitcher is not even involved in nearly 1/3 of the game.
Winning and losing streaks are the perfect time to place a bet.
Unlike the NFL or the NBA, the MLB is the perfect place to ride on winning and losing streaks. This is because the teams usually continue with their gameplay’s trend for games to an end.
Most MLB teams even win in 10 straight consecutive games, while there are those that lose in 10 consecutive games. You can also bet against a team that has been playing every day because they're most likely exhausted and would eventually result in a loss.
Make line bets on the favorite teams.
When it comes to betting specifically in the MLB, it’s highly recommended that you place line bets on the heavy favorites. If a -165 odds is imposed on that team, then that’s already a pretty good deal.
Don’t feel disappointed if you’ll only get a smaller amount of money. What’s important is that you’re most likely to win, even if that means you’ll only get a smaller amount.
Betting on the team in home field advantage.
What's great about betting on MLB teams is that home field advantage is true. Based on statistics, even the worst performing MLB teams win 50% of the time when they're playing on their home field. You can check out the MLB betting info page if you want to learn more about the current odds on MLB teams and matchups.
Best Teams to Place a Bet On
- L.A. Dodgers
The L.A. Dodgers are one of the best, if not the best team to place a bet on. Having the no. 1 spot in the MLB power ranking odds thanks to its +66.17 power and a +31.98 adjusted power, things are most likely to go pretty well for the team in the season’s next half. The team has 3,086 at bats, 476 runs, and 793 hits, which made them 4th in rank in MLB’s sortable batting.
- Houston
The Houston Astros are on the no. 2 spot having +44.85 and +20.93 power and adjusted power respectively. What also makes them a good choice is that they’re on the top spot in the MLB sportable batting with 3,176 at bats, 539 runs, and 919 hits. The team’s batting average is 29%, more than the Dodger’s 26%.
- Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs is the reigning MLB champion having defeated the Cleveland Indians in a historical matchup last season. Because of that, they’re a great pick if you’re searching for a team to bet on. They’re also ranked third in the MLB power rankings having a +45.52 and +20.48 power and adjusted power respectively. However, they’re only in the 14th spot in the MLB sortable batting table, having 3,015 at bats, 424 runs, and 783 hits, giving them a 26% average batting statistic.
