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Major League Baseball Wagering~Part 1
by FR Penn
http://www.canbet.com/.
Major League Baseball is somewhat of an enigma. Especially
when attempting to use statistics to predict a game's
outcome. Even so, there is a lot of data and trends to
consider before throwing one's hands up in utter
frustration in baseball's defiance of probability. With
patience and due diligence, a pattern may emerge. But then
a gut feeling comes on and the urge to take the long shot
is strong, especially when the pay out is big! The mountain
of data, trends and statistics are enough to drive the
sanest of us away from the bookmakers, relegating us to the
sidelines. However, no one wants to live a life that
boring. You can play the game~wager some cash~and make your
life a whole lot more exciting.
First off, here are a few ideas to keep your sanity. These
are my "top 10 baseball wagering tips for the hopelessly
clueless," of which, when it comes to wagering, I am a
charter member. If you consider yourself a knowledgeable
bettor, these tips will still help you keep your
perspective.
1) Don't bet any more than you can afford to lose.
2) Don't ever bet more to recoup a loss.
3) Ignore your gut feelings and/or hunches.
4) If a bet looks too good to be true, it probably is.
5) Once you've made your bet, remember that no amount of
stress will change the outcome of a game.
6) Never risk more than 5% of your bankroll on any given
game.
7) Don't bet long shots. They are long shots for a reason.
8) If you are on a losing streak, take a break from
wagering.
9) Don't hold grudges over losses- your favorite team
won't be much fun to watch if you do.
10) Target long-term goals instead of random or short-term
gains.
If you follow these 10 tips then you will be head and
shoulders above the average Joe who is placing bets. Of
course, you must first understand what you are doing when
you wager. Here are some betting basics.
A straight bet is merely betting to win or lose. Sometimes
you may not be able to get such a wager without giving or
taking points. This is known as the point spread. To win
you must "beat the spread", or win by more than a
particular team is favored by doing so. This is also known
as a form of handicapping. Money lines are pretty simple;
it is the amount you need to risk to win $100. So if you
see a number in a column marked ML, perhaps -110, you know
you need to put up $110 to win $100 and get your $110 back.
So if you win, your total payout is $210. The minus sign
indicates that team is the favorite. A plus sign in front
of the money line indicates the underdog. With over/unders,
you are wagering on the total runs that will be scored in
the game. You either bet on the number being under or over
that total. Action Points refer to that fact that you are
betting one team against another. With action points you
ignore the starting pitchers, but if there is a change in
one or both of the starters, the wager or the payout could
be adjusted. Side bets are just what they sound like. You
can put side bets on top of your bets. With head to head
propositions or match bets you are wagering on one sports
figure/team beating another sports figure/team. You can
also Buy Points on a handicapped or point spread contest.
Usually a straight buy of ~ point will cost you $10 on an
11/10 (risk $110 to win $100) standard bet. A straight buy
of 1 point would cost $20. If you win, you'll get back what
you wagered plus $100. Sports books generally make 10%
vigorish, or juice on a typical head to head straight
wager. They only make it if you lose your bet.
Sports books will provide information in a compact format.
The listing includes the MLB teams and pitchers with the
away or visiting team and pitcher listed first and then the
home team and pitcher listed underneath. The MLB money line
tells you which team is the favorite (- sign) and what you
must wager to win a particular amount. The MLB run line is
the run differential that the sports book predicts. To win
your wager, you have to beat the run line spread. The
amount you wager is determined by the money line odds,
located right next to the run line spread. Primarily the
starting pitchers determine the money line odds. If a run
line handicap is +1.5, the bet can still be won if your
team loses the game, but only if they lose by one run. If
they lose by two runs, you lose your wager. Run lines are
always based on the listed pitchers. If the starting
pitchers are changed before the game begins, these numbers
may also change. The over/under will be a number in the O/U
column. If the number were 7, then you would win the wager
if the total number of combined runs were 8 or more. A
winning under wager would result if 6 runs or less were
scored.
All of this may seem rudimentary, but it's the important
foundation for MLB betting. Wagering can be as simple or as
complicated as you make it. There are some more complex
forms of wagering that are beyond the scope of this
article. In Major League Baseball Wagering~Part II, we will
discuss explanations and strategies of wagering on MLB
futures, parlays, multiples, round robins and teasers. We
will also discuss the advantages, bonuses, safety and
security of choosing a good online sports book site for
wagering on MLB.
This article was written by FR Penn for
http://www.canbet.com/. Canbet.com is an online sportsbook
that offers market leading Sportsbook, Poker Room and
Casino products. At Canbet you have access to Internet and
Telephone betting on World Sport, North American Sport,
International Horse Racing, Entertainment Events, Poker,
Casino and Games 24/7. Reproductions of this article must
include a link pointing to http://www.canbet.com/.
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