Top Bets on MLB Games – 2024/25 Season

When thinking about GOATs and big transfers, usually we tend to think about the millions of pounds that are spent by football clubs buying and selling world-class players. One of the most shocking ones for me was when Neymar transferred from Barcelona to PSG in 2017 for a world record fee of €222 million, only to be followed by Kylian Mbappe who joined PSG the following year for €180 million. Of course, it's not all about the money involved, as sometimes the player's name is enough to draw massive international attention. When Messi left Barcelona, he joined PSG for free, and then he was acquired by Inter Miami of the MLS. It didn't happen only in the US either, as there was a mass exodus of top-rated players heading on to Saudi Arabia in 2023. But I digress.

All those transfers pale in comparison to the massive $700 million contract that Japanese all-around baseball player Ohtani. LA Dodgers bought Ohtani, setting a new world record for the largest contract in professional sports. His move in 2023 December cast the spotlight on baseball and the MLB, and will no doubt bring a fair share of punters to the table. But will we see a rise in the number of baseball bettors for the upcoming 2024/25 season?

Shohei Ohtani Player Profile

Ohtani is already being likened to Babe Ruth, the “face of American baseball”. Babe Ruth played baseball in the 1910s through the 1930s, starting in the Boston Red Sox before he moved to the New York Yankees. With the Red Sox, he won 3 World Series and then won a further 4 with the New York Yankees. It was with the Yankees that Ruth became a celebrity. Though he was most famous as a batter, Ruth was originally a pitcher and excelled in both - just like Ohtani.

Ohtani is currently only 29 years old and is well on his way to becoming one of the all-time greats. In 2021, he hit 41 homers and won 10 games as a pitcher, winning the MVP at the end of the year. Let’s just take a look at his stats before the upcoming MLB season:

• Batting Average: 0.274
• Home Runs: 174
• Runs Batted in: 437
• Win-Loss Record: 38-19

He has also won the Japan Nippon Series, been picked for the MLB All-Star game three years in a row, and won the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023. In international baseball, Ohtani represents Japan and won Gold in the 2023 Miami World Baseball Classic. The only thing missing from his trophy cabinet is a World Series, though we probably don't have to wait for too long to see Ohtani take the Dodgers to glory.

Should You Become a Los Angeles Dodgers Fan Now?

Los Angeles Dodgers play in white and Dodger blue and play in the West Division of the National League Baseball Conference. The team was established in 1883 and has won 7 World Series Titles and 24 NL Pennants (National League Conference Champions).

The team won its World Series trophies in 1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988, and most recently in 2020. The team is managed by Dave Roberts, a Japanese American former baseball player who has coached the Dodgers since 2016.

Under Roberts, the Dodgers have won three NL Pennants and one World Series, though in 2022 and 2023 they lost in the first round of the MLB Playoffs. The team is certainly on the up and up, and with the addition of Shohei Ohtani and Japanese Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was signed on a $325 million 12-year contract, the Dodgers may have found the last pieces of the puzzle to winning their 8th World Series title.

Other MLB Teams You May Know

Though Ohtani will be a key player to watch in the 2024-25 MLB season, no one will force you to become a Dodgers fan. There is no better time to pick a team, grab a cap, and start placing your MLB outright bets than now. When checking the odds on the winner of the 2024 World Series, I found quite a few good picks. Los Angeles Dodgers are strong favorites in many of the betting sites I checked, but I also found a number of good alternatives such as the Atlanta Braves who won the 2021 World Series, or the iconic New York Yankees. There are so many good picks in the bunch though. Here are some of my top-tipped teams to go far in the MLB 2024-25 season.

• New York Yankees (Last Won a World Series in 2009)
• Atlanta Braves (Last Won a World Series in 2021)
• Boston Red Sox (Last Won World Series in 2018)
• Houston Astros (Last Won World Series in 2022)
• Texan Rangers (Last Won World Series in 2023)

How to Follow the Action

Though football is my favorite sport to bet on, I also really enjoy betting on baseball. Mind you, it is not the easiest sport to bet on, but there are loads of opportunities if you are up for the challenge. Each team plays 162 games during the regular season - which is far more action than what you get with football leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and so on. There are 30 teams to watch, and a total of 2,430 games, not including the postseason when the top teams head into a knockout tournament.

Now onto the fun stuff. When two teams meet, they don't just play 1 game against each other but instead a series. This can be a series of 3 games up to 6, and the games are played on consecutive days. For example, if you look at the first games of the New York Yankees in the 2024 season, they will play 4 games against the Houston Astros in 4 days, and then 3 games in 3 days against the Arizona Diamondbacks. There are MLB games to bet on almost every day, and, as a bettor, I would point out that it can play a massive effect on how you should strategize your betting.

For example, after day 2 or 3, you may see a player is tired or other conditions that can affect how a team is playing. Game trackers and statistics can do wonders, especially if you wait for the last game of each of the series. Live betting also takes into a world of its own, and you will find no shortage of betting markets to pick from when the games start.

Top Bets on MLB Games

With so many games to look forward to each season, there are endless possibilities for your betting adventures. If you have never placed a bet on baseball or haven’t watched it, then it's best to start with low stakes. Once you get a feel for it, you can raise your stake in increments, and see whether you can make money betting on the MLB. To do so, visit the best online sportsbook sites in the US.

Moneyline

This is the simplest bet - you just have to pick which team you think will win. In a game between the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers, you can bet on the Orioles to win or on the Dodgers to win.

It does not matter how your chosen team wins, so long as they can beat the other team at the end of the game.

Runline

Runline bets are like moneylines, in that you have to pick a team to win, but it uses a betting line to evenly balance the two teams’ chances of winning. So if the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to win in their game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the sportsbook may give them a runline of -2.5. Then, you will need the Dodgers to beat the Phillies by at least 3 runs, otherwise, you lose your bet.

Alternative Runlines

The official line of +/-2.5 given in that game is the difference that brings the Dodgers and the Phillies level. The odds on either team should be around 1.90, but you don’t have to stick with the official runline. Some sportsbooks offer alternative runline bets, where you can pick another line.

For example, if you are betting on the Dodgers and you pick a line of -3.5, then your odds will be even longer. On the other hand, it means you need the Dodges to win by 4 runs or more, which carries greater risk. If you are a beginner, I would recommend sticking with the official runlines before trying out different runlines.

Total Runs

This bet does not relate to which team will win the game, but rather how many runs will be made during the game. It is not easy to predict. Each team has 9 batters and 9 innings to score their runs. Some games can end with teams scoring 4 or 5 runs each, whilst in others they may score over 10 runs. With total runs, you don't have to bet on the exact number of runs in a game though. Instead, the sportsbook provides you with a betting line of the possible runs in a game, and you can bet on the game to end with over or under that number of runs. For example, if a betting line of 9.5 is given, you can bet on the game to end with 10 or more runs, or for the game to end with 9 or fewer runs.

Outrights

Outright bets are wagers on a team’s performance during a season. So instead of betting on a game, you can bet on how the Dodgers will fare during the MLB season. You can bet on the Dodgers to win the 2024 World Series, to win the NL Pennant, or even to win the NL West Division. If you bet at a sportsbook that offers cash out on your bet, then you can always call your bet back early. With so many games in a season, you can expect your cash-out offer to change constantly, sometimes even jumping between games in a series, so it is important to check back regularly on your offer if you are thinking of cashing out.

Click here to try the best odds at Everygame Sportsbook