MLB betting sites
Baseball is bet on the moneyline, and the moneyline is a price in cents. That makes it the sport where the gap between a good book and a lazy one is easiest to measure. Count the cents before you count anything else.
How the bets work, from the starting pitchers to the run line, is on how to bet on baseball. This page is about choosing where to bet it.
Count the cents
Look at both sides of the same game. A book dealing the favorite at -150 and the dog at +140 is running what the trade calls a dime line, ten cents between the two numbers. A book dealing the same game at -150 and +130 is running a twenty-cent line. The first keeps about 1.6 percent of the money if it's bet evenly. The second keeps about 3.4 percent, twice as much, on the same game.
Over a long season that is the whole difference between two baseball books. You can check it in thirty seconds. I'd take the tighter line every time, even at a book with a smaller menu, because baseball is a sport you bet a lot of games in, game after game, all summer and into the fall, and the cents add up. They always do.
The pitcher rule
A baseball line is built on two starting pitchers, and the book has a rule for when one of them doesn't start. Some books let you bet "listed pitchers", which voids the bet if either listed starter is scratched. Others take "action", which keeps the bet and moves the price to the new matchup. Before you fund an account, find which one the book uses by default and whether you can choose. I'd always want the choice. It decides your ticket on the days that matter most.
Run lines, totals and the first five
Most books also deal the run line, baseball's spread at 1.5 runs, and a total on every game. The total moves with the weather and the park, and a book that is slow to move it on a windy afternoon is giving something away. Many books also deal the first five innings as a separate game, which takes the bullpens out of the bet, and the NRFI and YRFI bet on the first inning alone. I'd want a book that deals all three, at limits that let me bet them.
Live baseball
Baseball suits live betting better than most sports, because there is a natural pause between every pitch and every half inning. The book still prices the live line with a model and a wider cut than the opening line. If you bet baseball live, compare the live price with what the same team would cost before the game, and you'll see what the convenience costs you.
Reading the list below
The list shows the sportsbooks we have reviewed that name baseball on their own sports pages, A to Z. A book whose review doesn't say is left out, not judged. Open the review before you deposit: the payout rules and the limits are there, and they matter more than the menu.
A baseball season is long, with games almost every day. I'd bet a few of them, at the best price I can find, and keep each stake to 1 or 2 percent of the bankroll. The season will still be going when you have learned which book deals the honest line.
14 reviewed
Listed A to Z until our ratings are published.
BetanySports
Reduced-juice lines on the NFL, college football, NBA, WNBA, MLB and NHL, says the site. Crypto payouts in Bitcoin or Litecoin with no fee, up to $10,000 a request and $50,000 a week, as stated
25% sports free play up to $75Read the review
betDSI.com
Maximum bet up to $20,000 online or by phone, with higher limits on request, says the FAQ. Live betting across the major sports, a long props list and phone wagering
50% sports bonus up to $500Read the review
BetNow
Bet limits published by sport and day, up to $10,000 on an NFL side on game day, says the site. Deposits from $20, with no fee on crypto deposits
100% cash bonus up to $2,000Read the review
BetPhoenix
Toll-free lines in English, Vietnamese and Chinese, plus a wagering line, with online wagering 24/7, says the site. Live betting with games streamed on the site, as stated
175% free play up to $1,750Read the review
BetPOP
Crypto payouts from $50 to $10,000, twice a week, free, processed the same afternoon if requested before noon Eastern, says the cashier page. NFL sides up to $10,000 on same-day lines, with higher limits on request
50% free play up to $250Read the review
BookMaker Sportsbook
Crypto withdrawals from $50 up to $25,000 on weekdays, seven a week, with no BookMaker fee, according to its help centre. Live betting on all major North American sports, with props on NFL prime-time games, says the site
Bovada
Published withdrawal limits by method, up to $9,500 a Bitcoin request and $90,000 a week. No fee on crypto withdrawals, says the help center
50% sports welcome bonus up to $250Read the reviewBUSR
265+ thoroughbred and harness tracks with a daily horse rebate, says the site. Crypto deposits with no fees, and free Bitcoin payouts, as stated
100% Free Play match up to $1,000 on each of the first three depositsRead the review
EveryGame
One account covers the sportsbook, two casinos and poker, says the site. Crypto deposits and withdrawals in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin, according to its About page
$1,500 welcome package: 100% up to $500, plus 10 x 50% crypto bonuses up to $100Read the review
JustBet
Maximum bet stated as $20,000 online and by phone, with higher limits on request. Crypto payouts with no fee from the book, according to its Bitcoin page
MyBookie
A 100% crypto first deposit bonus up to $1,000, with the rollover worked out on the bonus page. KYC-verified payouts processed within 48 hours, says the banking page
100% crypto first deposit bonus up to $1,000Read the review
WagerWeb
Bitcoin depositors can request payouts seven days a week, says the promotions page. Volume for rollover is the lower of risk and win, written out with examples
Progressive free play bonus, 10% rising to 50%, up to $500Read the reviewXbet
Bitcoin payouts typically sent within 12 to 24 hours, with a $25 minimum, says the help centre. Deposits by Visa, Mastercard, person-to-person and a dozen coins
100% crypto welcome bonus up to $200 in bonus betsRead the review
YouWager
A published limits table, from $10,000 on an NFL spread down to $300 in-game. MLB on a 10-cent line from -100 to -190
50% free play up to $250 on a first depositRead the review