Road Games in MLB and betting

Fans of any sport generally agree that playing at home is an advantage, and this is played out more clearly in baseball than in any other sport.

Road Games in MLB and betting The baseball season is incredibly long, and teams can find themselves on the road for days and weeks. The long road trips, which often include two or three game series against the opposing teams, will eventually wear down any team. Plus, in baseball the home team always gets last at-bats, a distinct advantage as far as winning the game is concerned.

So it seems at first blush as though betting on teams on a road trip in Major League Baseball might not be such a hot idea. In fact, casual and amateur bettors will not bet on a road team, no matter what the odds are against them. This is a mistake, and one which you should avoid.

Remember that as a sports bettor, you need to have adopted a long term strategy. You want to come out with money –or break even - not after every game you bet on, as this will not happen, but instead at the end of the season. If you’re betting on baseball, looking closely at series between home and road teams is a good way to ensure that you at least break even in a series. Here’s how it works.

Like most fans, the books are aware that the odds of road teams winning are low due to both rules and weariness. They therefore offer odds that are usually good and sometimes great value for the baseball bettor, odds which only increase in value when the betting public starts to place their wagers.

The key is to look for teams that are very good and on the road, and bet on them when they are playing teams that are not as strong. Apply this strategy when the good team and the sub par team is involved in a series; odds will be given to the team playing at home. The home team might (and probably will) win the whole series 2-1, but if you bet all three of those games on the good away team you’ll martingale out of the series. The only way the strategy fails is if the away team gets swept, something that is unlikely to happen with a team playing well.

An especially important element to consider are the starting pitchers for each of the games. Often you’ll see an away team’s ace in the rotation for a series against the home team’s third or fourth pitchers. The rotation is a very important consideration when you are making your bet, because no matter how long a team has been on the road having their ace on the mound will give them a chance to win every time.

Betting carefully on road teams can be a great strategy in baseball betting, as the money lines offer value that is much better than usual. Be careful, though, as even betting on a good away team is better done at the start of a long road trip, before travel and time away begin to take their toll.

Marshall

Published on 08/03/2007