The Nationals are the top live bet after scoring first

MLB Live In-Game Betting Cheat Sheet: Nats Strong With Lead

Didn’t get your bet in before the first pitch? Don’t sweat it.

Live-betting baseball games can be just as entertaining and – if you know the right trends – profitable, too.

Below, we’ll break down MLB live-betting trends to know, including the best teams when scoring first and leading late, as well as the best comeback squads in baseball.

Here's the latest 2023 MLB live in-game betting data:

Best MLB Teams When Leading

TeamAfter Scoring FirstAfter 5th InningAfter 7th Inning
Arizona41-23 (+$1641.78)41-14 (+$2374.29)50-9 (+$3748.58)
Atlanta64-24 (+$1338.22)64-12 (+$2589.0)66-5 (+$3354.99)
Chi Cubs34-18 (+$1392.14)51-8 (+$3960.98)60-4 (+$5285.24)
Cincinnati43-28 (+$2116.42)44-10 (+$3999.23)51-4 (+$5369.47)
Colorado38-30 (+$2531.37)35-15 (+$3750.4)37-11 (+$4097.87)
Miami39-22 (+$1434.82)41-13 (+$2570.67)49-7 (+$3634.0)
Houston48-14 (+$2000.17)52-9 (+$2868.09)63-5 (+$4209.87)
LA Dodgers52-17 (+$1711.16)57-8 (+$2978.17)66-5 (+$3961.06)
Milwaukee46-18 (+$2533.77)45-8 (+$3399.05)57-7 (+$4891.14)
Washington39-21 (+$3845.34)41-8 (+$5581.96)45-6 (+$6351.2)
NY Mets37-15 (+$1383.84)46-10 (+$2744.66)52-5 (+$3732.58)
Philadelphia54-22 (+$1978.91)48-8 (+$2934.99)57-5 (+$3870.27)
Pittsburgh35-20 (+$2234.15)39-10 (+$3792.56)53-7 (+$5799.44)
San Diego50-31 (+$284.42)48-14 (+$1858.32)56-8 (+$3063.65)
San Francisco51-24 (+$2312.95)44-11 (+$2999.83)52-5 (+$4322.07)
St. Louis39-20 (+$1321.04)41-13 (+$2301.27)43-7 (+$3106.03)
LA Angels47-31 (+$1323.54)44-9 (+$3143.36)51-9 (+$3676.74)
Baltimore53-13 (+$3372.49)55-5 (+$4544.37)67-6 (+$5423.87)
Boston40-15 (+$2474.03)46-6 (+$3762.72)57-2 (+$5418.48)
Chi White Sox29-24 (+$921.4)35-16 (+$2051.63)41-8 (+$3637.07)
Detroit44-22 (+$3538.96)39-9 (+$4205.2)49-5 (+$6081.39)
Kansas City27-30 (+$716.68)27-11 (+$2636.68)34-5 (+$4416.68)
Minnesota51-20 (+$1990.83)47-12 (+$2439.96)54-6 (+$3491.55)
NY Yankees47-21 (+$1855.85)46-10 (+$2708.49)52-5 (+$3691.85)
Oakland25-29 (+$1147.0)24-14 (+$2345.0)26-7 (+$3455.0)
Seattle45-20 (+$1331.79)50-11 (+$2670.06)59-4 (+$4157.06)
Tampa Bay71-18 (+$2678.04)60-9 (+$2935.17)61-2 (+$3743.24)
Texas50-21 (+$1520.52)59-14 (+$3009.59)67-9 (+$4347.3)
Toronto47-18 (+$2010.71)45-9 (+$2588.28)57-7 (+$3851.67)
Cleveland36-23 (+$953.68)39-14 (+$2189.6)49-7 (+$3811.46)

Data from the 2023 MLB season, so far. All profits are from pre-game outright lines, for a $100 unit size.

Nats Profitable With Lead

The best live bet with a lead this season is... Washington? The 61-71 Nationals have taken 51 leads into the eighth, holding on to win 45 of those contests. This record is unremarkable relative to the rest of the league, but what makes the Nats profitable in these spots is their tantalizing live price.

While World Series contenders show -1000 prices with a late lead, the books still doubt the Nats' ability to seal the deal. Bettors brave enough to back the Nationals and their bullpen in these spots have been rewarded with 63.51 units of profit thus far.

If you're looking for other bullpens to bet on (or fade) check out our bullpen betting trends breakdown.

Best MLB Teams When Losing

TeamAfter Scoring SecondAfter 5th InningAfter 7th Inning
Arizona28-40 (-$1285.63)15-35 (-$1936.54)10-48 (-$3783.78)
Atlanta21-21 (-$744.09)9-28 (-$2170.56)10-37 (-$3050.15)
Chi Cubs35-44 (-$1192.13)8-44 (-$3724.57)3-53 (-$5109.76)
Cincinnati25-37 (-$807.7)14-37 (-$2030.2)10-52 (-$3906.35)
Colorado11-52 (-$3679.5)8-58 (-$4651.0)6-62 (-$5225.0)
Miami27-43 (-$1738.57)11-44 (-$3296.72)9-49 (-$3888.39)
Houston27-44 (-$2037.57)14-36 (-$2311.76)5-43 (-$3853.32)
LA Dodgers29-32 (-$1026.68)15-34 (-$2268.59)8-36 (-$2971.8)
Milwaukee28-39 (-$1284.69)17-41 (-$2484.86)5-43 (-$3924.15)
Washington22-50 (-$1689.47)13-53 (-$3441.03)10-62 (-$4924.33)
NY Mets23-57 (-$3720.9)5-53 (-$4934.62)2-60 (-$5867.59)
Philadelphia19-36 (-$2052.3)16-41 (-$2793.48)8-47 (-$4012.73)
Pittsburgh24-53 (-$2089.71)11-52 (-$3653.62)4-62 (-$5605.0)
San Diego12-39 (-$2987.9)6-49 (-$4412.36)3-56 (-$5422.72)
San Francisco17-39 (-$2428.64)11-42 (-$3218.47)9-54 (-$4643.25)
St. Louis17-56 (-$3909.93)5-51 (-$4707.13)2-64 (-$6139.0)
LA Angels16-38 (-$2297.61)7-50 (-$4252.92)3-53 (-$4994.35)
Baltimore29-36 (-$733.31)14-35 (-$2344.43)5-37 (-$3288.79)
Boston29-48 (-$1955.63)12-50 (-$3719.19)6-56 (-$4995.0)
Chi White Sox23-56 (-$3298.08)8-58 (-$4919.64)5-65 (-$5828.37)
Detroit15-50 (-$2869.5)11-53 (-$3787.89)6-62 (-$5383.08)
Kansas City14-62 (-$3897.04)8-69 (-$5749.04)6-79 (-$6947.04)
Minnesota18-43 (-$2755.27)15-39 (-$2541.85)10-53 (-$4359.36)
NY Yankees16-47 (-$3366.74)7-44 (-$3712.72)3-53 (-$4995.27)
Oakland13-65 (-$4303.0)8-66 (-$5262.0)3-72 (-$6699.0)
Seattle30-36 (-$874.14)11-37 (-$2611.0)8-43 (-$3492.49)
Tampa Bay9-34 (-$2766.11)11-36 (-$2885.33)7-45 (-$4111.33)
Texas24-36 (-$1433.25)8-35 (-$2777.76)2-41 (-$3944.92)
Toronto25-42 (-$2261.84)8-43 (-$3625.28)6-43 (-$3887.11)
Cleveland26-47 (-$2237.92)14-40 (-$2623.36)8-51 (-$4266.33)

Data from the 2023 MLB season, so far. All profits are from pre-game outright lines, for $100 unit size.

Cardinals Not Showing Resilience

Sitting in dead last in the NL Central, this season has been a nightmare for St. Louis. Their inability to face adversity is not helping their cause, as they have been dead in the water after giving up the initial run, winning just 17 of 73 such contests. 

73 of the Cardinals' games have seen a run scored in the first inning, which is among the most in MLB. Considering its inability to come back, this is far from ideal for St. Louis. If you see the Cards give up a quick run in the opening frame, consider live betting their opponent if the price is right.

More Live MLB Betting Tips

Here are a few more general trends to keep in mind when making in-game baseball wagers:

  • How is the bullpen of the team you’re betting on performing? If it’s been locking down opposing offenses and is injury-free, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. We’ve broken down the best bullpens in baseball to bet on and fade.
  • Live betting is often all about timing. Did the big favorite go down by a run in the first inning? If so, this might be a spot to jump on as they’ll be offering much better odds than they were before the game.
  • Sometimes a starting pitcher just doesn’t have it. His velocity is down and his breaking balls aren’t moving the way they should be. Pay close attention to the in-game commentary as this could indicate that the pitcher could implode in upcoming innings.
  • Did any players leave the game due to injury or they were pinch-hit for? This could have a major impact on a team’s ability to score runs.
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