Best MLB Betting Sites 2023 | Top Baseball Betting Sites

What are MLB betting sites?

Betting sites, typically through mobile apps, offer individuals the chance to wager on everything from college and professional sports to political elections to who will win at the Oscars. On the baseball side, online sports betting sites generally offer moneylines, spreads, parlays, prop bets, teasers and totals bets, as well as live betting markets to start.

You obviously want to choose a respected betting site that has solid reviews. The best thing you can do is shop around as each individual also has their personal betting preferences. If I really love to bet on baseball props, for example, I’ll gravitate toward the betting site that offers me the widest selection of props, updated early and often. 

Betting Site Bonuses & Promotions

One of the biggest considerations used by betting sites to lure in players is bonus offers. Online sportsbooks love to give players free money for signing up and we break down some of the most popular promotional offers available below.

Sign-up Offers

When signing up with a sportsbook, you’ll generally be given some sort of welcome bonus/reward. These bonuses vary among operators, so it is important to review each promotion to find the best fit for you. After signing up, there are always ways to add some bang to your buck as an existing user through exclusive bonuses, rewards, risk-free bets and more.

Bonus Types

There are several different bonus types that sportsbooks might use to entice bettors to sign up. For example, an MLB betting site might match your first deposit. Say you sign up and add $50 to your account. The betting site might offer a 100 percent match of your $50, giving you a total of $100 in your bankroll.

Another bonus example could be a free bet. An online MLB betting site might encourage your participation by offering you a free $10 bet on your favorite sport. If you win, you take the profits. If you lose, no sweat, it was a free bet anyway. So, these free bets are often a great time to take that +5000 long shot!

Is MLB Betting Legal?

Legal baseball betting has increased across most of North America as a result of efforts from 32 states that offer sports betting. And there’s no reason to think that the remaining states won’t follow suit in the coming years – if not sooner.

What States Are the Sportsbooks Available in?

Certain states are stricter than others. For example, Delaware, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin only allow in-person sports betting. 

Sports betting is technically illegal in Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, through legislation initiatives. 

Nevada has the most open sports betting legislation. Given its deep history, the betting market in and around Las Vegas is very mature, and other states may try to emulate its practices.

How To Bet On Major League Baseball

As Tom Hanks once told Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell, “There’s no crying in baseball,” but there is in betting. Succesful MLB betting comes down to knowing the ins and outs of baseball rules and team statistics. Having basic knowledge of the players and teams will help you make smart decisions when selecting what bets to target. Having easy access to the MLB odds and free picks that we offer can also help you make educated baseball bets.

But, most importantly, you have to know your betting markets. There are three basic types of bets you should know for MLB betting online:

Moneyline Bets

Moneyline betting is a common option to bet on Major League Baseball. It's pretty simple, as all you have to do is pick which team will win. If the Yankees (+120) are playing the Dodgers (-130), the Dodgers are the favorite and the Yankees are the underdog. Underdogs are always represented by the plus sign (+) and favorites with the minus sign (-).

In this example, you’d win more money betting on the Yankees, but since they’re the underdog, they have a lower probability of winning according to the books. Let’s say you wanted to wager $25 on this game. A winning wager on the Dodgers would give you a payout of $44.23 – you’d get your original $25 back plus your winnings of $19.23. A winning bet on the Yankees would result in a payout of $55 – you’d get your original $25 back plus your winnings of $30.

Runline

Runline betting is the baseball equivalent of a point spread in football or basketball. The sportsbook will adjust the line so the underdog will receive an advantage in the matchup. The underdog will receive +1.5 runs and the favorite will get -1.5 runs.

Using the same example of the Dodgers vs Yankees, Los Angeles must win by two or more runs or New York must either win or not lose by more than a run.

Totals (OVER/UNDER)

Also referred to as OVER/UNDER betting, total betting requires you to decide if the total number of runs in the game will go OVER or UNDER the oddsmaker’s selected number. For instance, if the total for Yankees vs Dodgers is set at 8.5 runs and the final score of the game is 5-3 (a combined score of eight runs), it would mean that the total went UNDER. 6-5 (totalling 11) is OVER!

MLB Futures

Futures are long-term bets on outcomes. Predicting the winner of the World Series is a great example of a futures bet you can make on baseball. Another option would be predicting the National or American League champions or whether or not a team will make the postseason.

Getting in on futures betting lines early, either during spring training or when the regular season starts, can result in a generous payout if you bet correctly. But, there's also some waiting and risk involved.

Other Types Of MLB Wagering Options

If you’re looking for a bigger win or more entertainment value, try one of the following wagering options. These are offered at most MLB betting sites and are available for almost every game.

Parlays

Like a parlay in other sports, all selected teams must win the bet for your baseball ticket to pay out. Even if one of your selected teams loses, the whole ticket is considered a loss. A typical MLB two-team parlay would look something like this:

Toronto Blue Jays (-180) to beat the Boston Red Sox

Colorado Rockies (-150) to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks

If you were to bet $50, a winning ticket would net you a payout of $129.63 – your original $50 would be returned along with your winnings of $79.63. Use our Parlay Calculator to determine how much you would win based on the amount you bet.

Depending on the sportsbook, you can make larger parlays that feature 10 or more teams. However, be careful with large tickets because, as mentioned, each bet on the ticket has to win in order for you to win the entire bet.

Prop Bets

MLB props are popular throughout the season, especially during the playoffs and World Series, due to the high-profile nature of those games. Most will revolve around player statistics, such as the number of runs, hits, or total bases by a specific player. Or, on the pitching side, you can bet on the number of strikeouts a pitcher might record.

Live Betting

Live betting baseball has become increasingly popular in recent years. Also known as in-play betting, this type of wagering allows you to bet on the outcomes of an at-bat or inning.

Even with the pitch clock, there's plenty of time between action in baseball, allowing for plenty of odds and line adjustments. Check out our MLB Live Betting Cheat Sheet to gain an edge over other bettors.

Fantasy Baseball Bets

With the rise of fantasy sports, some sportsbooks will offer daily fantasy betting for baseball. That means there will be a market on which player scores the most fantasy points on a given day — examine the odds, pick a guy and hope he has a big fantasy day so your bet cashes. 

User Experience

With so many options available for sports bettors, it has become paramount for online sportsbooks to create products that are easy for users to use. The user experience is more important than ever as bettors don’t want to struggle to hunt for odds or find bonus offers. When looking for MLB betting sites, be sure to consider the following items.

Key Features

With technology always advancing, creating a smooth and user-friendly interface is essential for a modern sportsbook’s success. Online sportsbooks have made it a priority to adjust their site and have it accessible as an app, online via desktop and mobile, as well as the increasing use of social media. It is rare to see a sportsbook without multiple interface options for its users, so find the site that fits your preferences and start placing your bets.

Log-In Process

You’ll want a betting site that has a quick and easy log-in process. You should be able to sign up via email, create a username and password and move to the next step. Some mobile sites also allow you to log in with facial recognition these days, if you're into that sort of tech.

Navigation: Usability, Straightforward or Convoluted

If you’re using a mobile app for betting, user experience is important. Are all the odds and markets laid out in an easy-to-digest manner? Is it a simple transition from one sport to the next? Is it easy to add bets to your betting slip and place a wager? These are all questions you should be considering as you navigate a sports betting site. 

Speed

Slow websites and apps drive people nuts. That applies to sports betting interfaces, too. Speed and functionality are two important elements in a good sports betting site, especially if you’re placing a live bet. Make sure you choose a sports betting site that operates quickly and efficiently.

Data Density

Every sharp sports bettor wants deep data and bottomless markets to bet on, but there’s a limit to how much information we see on a given tab or page. If data is too dense, it becomes unreadable, and we don’t want that. Conversely, we don’t want dispersed data that forces us to scroll for ages.

The best MLB betting sites will have all the data laid out in an effective manner that makes it easy for users to explore different markets and place a bet when they’ve done their research.

Trustworthiness (Are Betting Sites Safe?)

Nowadays, almost all betting sites are safe, but, like with any app or website you deposit money into, it’s wise to double-check. Read the user agreements, do some research online, ensure that the betting site is transparent with its intentions. It's also smart to check social media for the betting site’s presence and read up on user feedback on their experience with the betting site you’re signing up for.

Benefits of Online Baseball Betting 

Online baseball betting offers many unique benefits for sports bettors and that’s not including the convenience of being able to place a bet from anywhere with Wi-Fi signal.

Access to more unique prop bets

If you’re into baseball, then you probably love sabermetrics and advanced statistics. That’s been the name of the game in baseball over the last decade, and online betting allows you to use that knowledge to make money.

Sportsbooks will offer markets on unique prop bets. For example, let’s say Framber Valdez is slated to go OVER or UNDER 18.5 outs in a game. Since the left-hander set the MLB record in 2022 for most consecutive quality starts (six innings pitched, three earned runs or less), this total offers a great chance to bet the OVER. That’s just one example of a variety of unique prop markets offered by the best MLB betting sites.

Live Streaming Games on Apps

The best MLB sportsbooks will have some version of live streaming available on their apps. Certain MLB betting sites will offer a visual tracker that shows the score, the inning, the count and the batter, much like a regular TV broadcast. If a player gets a hit or steals a base, the live streamer will adjust accordingly, offering the sports bettor a unique method to track their bets. 

Easy Line Shopping

The beauty of online betting allows you to scan multiple MLB betting sites for the best lines, totals and props. If you see Valdez’s strikeouts at OVER/UNDER 6.5 on one site and you think that’s too high, shop around. Maybe the same prop market is offered on a different MLB betting site at a more favorable number. 

Banking Options 

All odds and betting markets are meaningless if you can’t get money into and out of your sportsbook. Online sportsbooks have made it seamless to fund your bankroll but it’s still worth taking a look at the banking options available to bettors.

Deposit Options And Withdrawals

Before you start betting, you’ll need to add funds to your account. Most MLB betting sites accept credit cards like American Express, MasterCard and Visa. You can also use e-wallets  (PayPal, Neteller, Skrill) and debit options. 

On top of this, online sports betting services also accept multiple forms of cryptocurrency. By using Bitcoin (BTC) to make a deposit, you could be looking at a fast and easy funding experience. Additionally, BTC withdrawals are quicker than any other method currently available.

Deposit Amounts

Certain MLB betting sites will require a minimum deposit amount. It could be anywhere from $10 and up, depending on the sportsbook. With that in mind, be prepared to deposit more than just a few bucks into your new MLB sportsbook.

Payout Speed

Depending on your withdrawal setup — some sportsbooks do direct deposit or e-transfer, for example — the payout speed may vary. Typically, good sportsbooks get you your money within hours of your withdrawal request while others can take a few days.

Line Shopping

Like we said before, one of the perks of online MLB sportsbooks is the ability to shop around for value. For example, if the Blue Jays are playing the Tigers, and you’re set on backing Toronto, shop around for the moneyline. If the Jays are -200 favorites on one MLB betting site and -150 on the other, you’ll pick the latter to maximize your value. The margins can be thin in sports betting so it’s paramount that bettors take advantage of value where they can.

Customer Service 

Just like any service, you want to have knowledgeable and helpful customer service to help you with their product if required. With online sportsbooks, it’s exactly the same. Most reputable online betting services have various methods to get your questions and concerns answered in a timely manner which includes 24-7 support, live chats, emailing service and FAQs.