How Do We Generate Our Expert MLB Picks?
Our picks are generated via three central channels, starting with our MLB experts breaking down the key insights, tips and picks ahead of the big games across the league. The betting.com MLB coverage also benefits from experienced handicappers and AI-driven predictions.
What Is The Best Way To Wager Using Our MLB Picks?
With betting.com, you have a one-stop betting service, featuring easy access to both expert picks and wagering. If you’re reading our picks and reach a firm decision about the wagers you want to place, you’ll see that we’ve already highlighted the most favourable odds on the market for that particular outcome. From your account, it only takes a few clicks to place your bets.
MLB Picks – Total Runs
Just like total points in NFL and NBA games, you will also find a betting line for total number of runs scored in an MLB game, with that over/under sitting at odds of -100, as well as a long list of alternative lines.
Expect anything here, with the same two teams capable of combining for three runs one day, then 14 the next. In tight pitching battles, it is not uncommon to see a 2-1 or 3-2 scoreline. But if the bats dominate, the script can quickly flip to a 10-9 thriller or a 10-2 blowout. The total runs line typically lands between 7.5 and 10.5, but the alternative lines often stretch out your options from over/under 5 total runs to over/under 16 total runs.
Moneyline MLB Picks
The moneyline is the simplest concept in MLB betting. The bookmakers set odds for a “favourite” and an “underdog”, leaving you to pick which team will win the game. The margin of victory is not a factor here. Keep in mind that if the scores are tied at the end of a standard nine-inning match, the two teams will play “extra innings” (essentially a sudden death format) until the match is decided.
MLB Parlays Picks
If you feel strongly about a couple of your picks and want to combine them into a single bet with higher odds, an MLB parlay (or accumulator) could be a path for you. For example, you could parlay two favourites (say, the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers) with an underdog (say, the Detroit Tigers), and then all three teams have to win.
MLB Picks Against The Spread – Run Line MLB Picks
Betting against the spread on MLB action (often referred to as Run Line Betting) goes beyond which team will win the game. It focuses on the specific scoreline. Oddsmakers review the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams (particularly the pitchers) and determine a line. With even the strongest teams losing 50+ games each year, there is a high level of unpredictability in MLB matchups – and, as a result, a narrow run line of 1.5 is frequently the standard approach from oddsmakers. That said, you can choose an alternative run line (e.g. 2.5, 3.5), with the odds shifting accordingly.
Best MLB Picks For The Regular Season
AL West
With the Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners all losing key pieces in the off-season, the division seems to be up for grabs for the first time in many years following the Astros dominance over the last several years. The Rangers have joined the party of contention with their new stadium and brought in some big names through free agency. The Angels have the dual-threat sensation in Shohei Ohtani. With the Astros remaining stars leaving their prime years, the roster changes within the division, this division is going to come down to the wire at the end of the season. The Pick: Houston Astros win the division once again.
AL Central
The AL Central looks like it’s the Chicago White Sox’s to lose. Although the Minnesota Twins made key roster moves by acquiring Carlos Correa, Gary Sanchez, and Gio Urshela, they still need to hope the Sox struggle with their talented roster. The Tigers gained a big bat in Javier Báez, but still lack the depth and talent to compete with the Twins and White Sox. The Guardians and Royals see the same issue the Tigers have and that’s matching the talent and depth of the Sox and Twins. The Pick: Chicago White Sox brings home the division title.
AL East
The best division in baseball once again will see another season where every single game will matter as the division will come down to the final week of the season again. The Blue Jays are favored in the vision this season with their explosive offense from their young stars. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Twins will battle the Blue Jays for the top spot, where the second and third-place finishers will likely see a wild card matchup with each other. The poor Baltimore Orioles are still in rebuild mode, as they’ll hopefully begin competing in the coming years.
NL West
One of the most competitive divisions in baseball features the teams out west. The Dodgers have built the super team even stronger with the acquisition of Freddie Freeman. They look to capture the division title back from the San Fransisco Giants, while the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies hope to make a statement and steal the division from these powerhouses. The Dodgers are clearly in win-now mode with their roster, hoping they can make the climb back to triumph. The Diamondbacks will struggle to keep pace with the rest of the division. The Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers take the division back.
NL Central
The division that seems like a coin flip between the Brewers and the Cardinals. The Cubs have brought in a superstar in Seiya Suzuki, along with Marcus Stroman. The Cubs could be a surprise in the division at the end of the season, as the Cardinals and Brewers have lacked the consistency in past years to be sure they can win the division. The Reds and Pirates seem to be in rebuild mode as they’re struggling to match the depth and talent of the leaders of the division. The Pick: St. Louis Cardinals win the division with the Brewers locking up a wild card spot.
NL East
Defending World Champions, the Atlanta Braves, look to defend their title with the loss of long-time first basemen, Freddie Freeman. They look to get injured Ronald Acuña back following his ACL tear a season ago. The Phillies, Mets, Nationals, and Marlins all have a competitive chance to tear down the defending champs. The Mets adding Max Scherzer certainly sends the message they’re here to battle. This division will be decided in the final part of the season, depending on who can stay healthy down the stretch. The Pick: New York Mets capture division title.
Cy Young – AL, NL
Gerrit Cole and Robbie Ray look to be a step ahead in the AL race, while Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Corbin Burnes are at the forefront of the NL conversation. The picks: Ray and Buehler
MVP – AL, NL
Shohei Ohtani’s pitching-hitting combination makes him the AL favourite, though Vladimir Guerrero Jr deserves to be in the conversation. The NL race could be a tighter battle, though it is hard to look past Fernando Tatis Jr and Bryce Harper. The picks: Ohtani and Tatis Jr.
MLB Playoff Picks
The playoffs are the part of the MLB season where everything means just a little bit more. Our MLB picks for the postseason take into account the strategic differences between the regular season and playoffs to provide the most value possible in October. For example, teams can have completely different bullpen strategies during the playoffs, which we take into account when giving you our MLB picks.
By and large, the same betting markets are available during the playoffs and the regular season. The big difference is the strategies teams use during the postseason, which have to be considered carefully. Identifying which teams throw pitchers on short rest and which give starting pitchers shorter and longer leashes in the playoffs can be the difference between profits and losses in this part of the year.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s a ton to consider when making MLB picks from Opening Day to the final game of the World Series. Fortunately, we’re here to help you with expert MLB picks that cover everything from April to October.
