It’s true: betting on baseball can be an uphill climb, and especially so for beginners.
But this certainly doesn’t mean you should avoid America’s favourite pastime simply because of the challenges.
Instead, learn as much as you can about the rules of the game, team records, the players, and even the coaches.
Below are just some of the things to consider as you refine your baseball betting skills.
The Win-Lose Record
It’s important to closely study the win-lose record of the team you plan to bet on.
So many teams win so few of their games, that no matter how good the odds appear to be, you’ll only end up making a losing wager.
During the course of the season, be sure to study the won-lost records of the teams in both leagues. Look for the winning teams, and then begin to follow their trends. To this end, it is usually better to go with a winning team with a mediocre pitcher, than a losing team with a great pitcher.
The truth of the matter is simple: winning teams will almost always find a way to keep on winning.
Three Is The Magic Number
Once a team has won at least three events in a row, they become significant within the context of betting.
Also keep in mind that the best chances of that team continuing their winning streak will be when they’re playing at home.
By the same token, avoid the team who happens to be on a three-game losing streak.
Mind The Underdog
The bettor must pay careful consideration to any team that happens to be the underdog when playing at home. This comes into play especially when you’re looking for the best value for your bet.
The typical progression of things will change between the middle of the season and the end of it. In the early stages of a season, before oddsmakers have worked out the various strengths of the teams and their players, there’s bound to be a good chance to make money. But by the middle of the season, the bookies will have adjusted their price, making it more difficult to cash in on “free money”.
Learn All You Can
The best starting point when betting on baseball is to learn all you can about the teams and their players.
Even in the event of a favourite team and emotional ties, being a stubborn supporter because of loyalty won’t get you anywhere. Don’t be afraid to chance direction in search of a bet that will actually make you money.
Focus On The Fielding
In addition to checking out the pitching, it is important to also know what the middle order are doing, and what their strengths happen to be.
Key questions you should ask include:
- How is their fielding?
- How do they typically perform when playing at home?
- What about when on the road?
- How do their pitchers perform when playing at night?
- Is there a massive improvement during the day?
- Do their pitchers bring real heat to the situation?