Now that we are in baseball season, perhaps it is worthwhile to cover some ground about the basics of what to look for in a baseball line.
For those who are not conversant with the way the odds look in baseball, it is different than a straight pointspread, like you will find in football or basketball, where you will usually be laying -110 either way, creating the "11-to-10" and the "juice" situation for the sportsbook.
Generally speaking, if you are looking at a baseball line at a sportsbook, the top team is the visitor, while the bottom team is playing at home.
You are always going to see the starting pitchers, and the last names will often be listed in parentheses.
It will do you some good to get familiar with who these pitchers are; the "rotation" that is used by any given team (or all teams, for that matter).
Here is an example of what one of these propositions looks like: Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers Fri 4/4 915 Baltimore Orioles (M Gonzalez - R) +1½ -155 +150 Listed o8 +100 1:05PM 916 Detroit Tigers (A Sanchez - R) -1½ +135 -160 Listed u8 -120 This is what you'd be encountered with.
The date is listed to the extreme left, along with the time of the game.
The numbers next to the names of the teams represent how the wagers will be identified in the system.
As you can see, the pitching matchup is between Miguel Gonzalez of the Orioles and Anibal Sanchez of the Tigers.
The "R" indicates that both of them are right-handers.
Take a look at the second set of figures.
They indicate that the Tigers with Sanchez are a -160 baseball betting favorite, with the Orioles and Gonzalez at +150.
What this means, in case you are not aware, is that for every dollar you want to win on the Tigers, you have to lay $1.
60 (so it is "a dollar sixty to a dollar).
And if you wagered a dollar on the Orioles, you would realize $1.
50 profit if you won.
All of the odds you'll see are relative to a dollar.
You will also notice that there is a ten-cent difference between the $1.
60 and the $1.
50.
That is the "juice" and, within this context, is known as the "dime line.
" Most of the sportsbooks you visit will be using the dime line, with the exception being those that utilize the "Western line" or "20-cent line," in which you would see a 20-cent spread, which might, in this case, make the Tigers a -165 favorite and the Orioles a +145 underdog.
There are a number of other things about this baseball betting proposition, such as the run line, totals line and the concept of "listed pitchers" that are worth explaining in more depth, as we will most certainly do in future installments, but let's leave you with this - the "hold" for a sportsbook on baseball is usually less than that of basketball or football, so you might find that there is more opportunity.
Perhaps we can help you do that.