During the last five or six years, there’s been some consideration taken by Major League Baseball about how to make games shorter. These long, drawn-out, three to four-hour affairs can cause viewers to lose interest and make even the most ardent supporters head to the exit before the contest is over.

I don’t have a proposed solution to make the games shorter, but there are plenty of ways to make the time more enjoyable. One of those ways involves making money!

View baseball odds and bet online legally, securely, and easily on MLB and more. Our games are tested by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to provide.

Live betting (betting on the game, during the game) means every inning can be a new game for bettors. While some purists may prefer to place their wagers and wait it out, others enjoy the fast-paced nature of playing along throughout the game.

1. Get the latest MLB odds, point spreads, money lines and over/unders for popular sportsbooks and view SportsLine's expert analysis of each upcoming game.
2. The Major League Baseball rule that Rose violated prohibits any bet on a game the bettor is involved in, making no distinction between betting for or against one's team. The rule is: 'Rule 21 Misconduct, (d) Betting on Ball Games, Any player, umpire, or club, or league official, or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball.

Along with live betting, prop bets offer another way to keep things interesting long after the winner and loser has basically been determined.

Prop bets are fun because you can win them in the first inning or the bottom of the ninth, meaning you’ll stay engaged for the duration of the game.

In this article, I’ll lay out four different types of live and prop bets you can place at any point in an MLB game.

1 – The Score (Live Bet)

This is probably the most obvious, but betting on the score, meaning the eventual winner or loser, is one of the easiest live bets. While you can place a bet on who will win before the game, odds change dramatically each time a run crosses the plate.

You can double-down on your initial play or even switch sides to bet on the other team if things aren’t going the way you expected.

Another fun aspect of this type of bet is the run-line. The run-line functions just like the spread in basketball or football. It also changes significantly during the game according to the action on the field.

Sure, your bet looks like a winner, but if you’re looking for some excitement, you’re out of luck. That is unless you start throwing down on the run-line.

If you think things are going to continue as they started, maybe you’d like to bet on the Yankees -7.5 and see if you can find a high-value number at that line. Or perhaps you anticipate the opponent making a slight comeback.

You bet on them at +2.5, meaning if they come back and lose by less than three, you can actually make money off both teams.

The trick to in-game betting is to make sure the value is right. Additionally, do yourself a favor.

If you’re fortunate to find yourself in a situation where at least one bet is a certain win, don’t allow yourself to lose money.

In our proposed scenario above, let’s suppose you bet $30 on the Yankees at -110. Once you decide there’s an extremely high likelihood that they’ll win the game, you’ve won $27.

If you choose to continue betting on the game, this is your new bankroll. Whatever you do, don’t end up losing more money than the amount you won on your first bet.

2 – Individual Player Performance

While some people might shoot down prop bets, I find them to be a great value-play and nowhere is that more evident than in baseball. From hits to home runs, walks to errors, you can bet on nearly every player individually and what they’ll accomplish in a game.

Some of my favorite player prop bets include whether a player will hit a home run or the number of hits a player will get in a single game.

Even the best home run hitters in the league typically are around +400 to hit a home run in a game. A $30 bet can be turned in $120 with one swing of the bat. The best part? You’ll usually have four cracks at it.

Another play I’ll make, although less frequently in today’s MLB, is whether or not a player will steal a base.

Because this event is becoming increasingly unlikely, the line can often be +700 or more, even for some of the game’s best base stealers.

Pitchers can be part of the betting action as well. A few popular prop bets might be the over/under on total earned runs a pitcher will allow, how many strikeouts they’ll rack up during their outing, or whether or not they’ll hit a batter.

3 – First Inning Score

This one is for the bettors who want to get quick results. Some teams have a knack for putting runs on the board early in the game, and now you can cash in after just one inning.

One popular prop bet is whether or not a team will score in the first inning. I’ve always liked this bet because the moneylines are typically pretty even. For instance, they’ll almost always be between +110 and -110, which means you’ll get a good return on your money.

This is a type of bet that is best to use when you have some idea about a team’s usual first inning performance. You’d be surprised by the difference between how often some teams score in the first inning and those who don’t.

4 – 3/5/7 Inning Run Lines

Don’t want to wait until the final out is recorded to know if you’ve won? Try betting on the 3, 5, or 7 inning run lines. This bet is comparable to betting on the quarterly score in an NFL or NBA game. It allows you to break down the entire game into segments that pay out when the innings have been completed.

This can be a fun bet if you’re looking to make things interesting when one team has a big lead early in the game.

It can also provide great value. It gives you a chance to make more educated evaluations because you’ve already seen how the game is flowing.

Before you make this play, you must consider all the circumstances in the game, especially the bullpen.

Essentially, you’d be deciding if you think the gap will widen or shrink. Knowing that the Cardinals will likely put in some of their weaker relievers in a sure-win situation, you can find some value in betting on the losing team getting one run closer.

Because so few people make these types of bets, you could find yourself with a slight advantage over the books.

Conclusion

Even those who love baseball can admit that at times, the game can become a bit tedious. Live and prop bets can help pass the time. You might even win a little money in the process.

As with any other type of bet you place in any sport, a little research can go a long way.

You don’t have to be Billy Beane with stacks of data. Nonetheless, readily available trends can help you make more educated plays giving you a higher chance of winning.

Be sure to keep in mind that live betting can result in losses that you may try to recoup by doubling down on your next bet.

While it’s always tempting to chase your losses and win it all back quickly, make sure you stick to your bankroll to avoid falling into this particular trap.

How To Bet On Mlb Games In Vegas

For the best odds and most betting options, check out these MLB betting sites and start planning out your strategy.