MLB Point Spread Betting Explained

An MLB point spread bet, also known as a run line bet, is like traditional point spread betting in that you are betting on the margin of victory or defeat for a team.

If we take the spread on the favorite, we are betting that they will win by more than the number listed (which is usually 1.5). When we take the underdog, we are betting that they will not lose by more than that number.

Unlike a moneyline bet, the odds on MLB point spreads can be positive (+) or negative (–) for favorites. So, by betting that the favorite will win by more than the spread, we will often receive a higher pay-out than had we picked a winner straight up.

Taking MLB point spreads in a parlay rather than the winner straight up is also a great way to increase your potential pay-out.

To see how to bet on MLB points spreads, let’s look at a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros with the following betting line:

For the purpose of the example, the hypothetical wager is going to be $100. We do not have to wager $100, of course. We can bet whatever amount we want and just use our bet calculator to figure out what we would win.

If we were to bet the point spread on the Dodgers and win, we would win $125. But if we had bet the moneyline instead, we would have just won $50. Had we taken the point spread on the Astros and won, we would have won $58.82.

However, had we bet the moneyline and won, the pay-out would have been $180. Sometimes MLB point spread betting online can pay well and sometimes it doesn’t.