The Best MLB Betting Sites in the UK in 2024

Q: Can you bet on MLB Games?

Yes, you are perfectly able to indulge in baseball betting at any UK betting site that allows you to. We recommend, though, that you only use sites with valid UKGC licences. Do not use non-UK sites via a VPN, for example.

Q: Where can I bet on the MLB Series?

We’ve listed several baseball betting sites where you can place your MLB bets. Choose one or a few of the sites and see if they offer what you are looking for.

Q: What is the best MLB betting site?

We have selected BetMGM as our best major league baseball betting online site, but please do not ignore the other top sites that we have listed.

Q: Why is it called the ‘World Series’?

When the National League and American League champions faced off for the first time, different newspapers used different titles for what was, in effect, only an exhibition game. One newspaper called it the ‘World Series’, and that was the name that stuck. It is not, as some people claim, because it was sponsored by ‘The World’ newspaper as such a newspaper has never existed, and sports sponsorship was never ‘a thing’ until the 1950s.

Q: Why are there only 30 baseball teams in the US?

There are plenty more than 30! Baseball in the US is split into divisions, but unlike football, there is no promotion or relegation. Instead, MLB teams have a number of affiliates with whom they share players. For example, the affiliates of the New York Yankees are currently the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RaidRiders (AAA), the Somerset Patriots (AA), the Hudson Valley Renegades (A+), the Tampa Tarpons (A), the FCL Yankees (Rookie) and the DSL Yankees (Rookie). The letter(s) in parenthesis represents the standard of the team.

Peter Addison

Senior Betting Writer

Updated: 22 May 2024

This guide to the best MLB betting sites in the UK will tell you all you need to know about how and where to bet on Major League Baseball.

Top MLB Betting Sites

These are the ten sites that we have selected for being the best for betting on baseball in the UK, with a swift reason as to why we have selected them.

BetMGM – Our number one pick for MLB betting sites
Bet365 – Has more markets than most for your MLB bets
Betfred – Multiple markets on MLB games
William Hill – Close to 200 markets on every MLB game
BetUK – Bet on individual match events & team totals
Spreadex – Spread bet on baseball here
Fafabet – MLB and KBO (South Korea) coverage
Betfair – Exchange betting (back/lay) or fixed odds on baseball
Paddy Power – Baseball bet builder available
Fitzdares – Bet at the NCAA (college baseball) level

Five of the Best MLB Betting Sites

Okay, so now we have listed the top ten, it’s time to get to know the very best five a little better. With our mini-reviews, it won’t be a case of a swing and a miss when it comes to MLB betting in the UK.

1. BetMGM – Our Number One Pick for MLB Betting Sites

BetMGM is as close as it is possible to get to an American betting site in the UK. BetMGM is actually one of the biggest betting sites in the US, but unfortunately, as a resident of the UK, you would not be able to use it. Fortunately, there is a solution … there’s a UK version of BetMGM that punters in the United Kingdom can use, run by established UK sports betting veterans LeoVegas. This American connection is one of the reasons we have selected BetMGM as our top pick for online MLB Betting Sites in the UK.

That’s not the only reason, though. BetMGM has exceptionally competitive odds and covers every single game in the MLB season, all 2,430 of them! All matches have significant markets, from simple ‘to win’ odds, handicap betting and total runs over/under. One neat factor – if the starting pitchers have not yet been declared, you can choose your odds based on a match-up, and if that duel does not take place, you get your money back! You can also use the BetMGM bet builder on MLB baseball, which is incredibly neat!

What We Like:

Full coverage of MLB
Coverage of KBO, NPB, CPB and NCAA too!
Build your own bets with the BetMGM Bet Builder

Room for Improvement:

We can’t think of much!

Visit BetMGM

2. Bet365 – Has More Markets Than Most for MLB bets

As you will find out later, betting on baseball is tough as it is so unpredictable a pastime. It’s not like the EPL say, where in 2023-24 Manchester City could welcome Sheffield United to the Etihad and they’d be zero chance of anything other than a City win. In baseball, the team with the best seasonal record could host the team with the worst seasonal record and lose 7-0! That’s why, when it comes to betting on baseball, it’s crucial that you consider markets beyond the usual ‘pick the winner’.

That’s why bet365 has made it onto our ‘best MLB Betting Sites’ list. This site offers more markets per game than any other, and many inventive ones too (although you will learn by experience which markets should be avoided as they are too difficult to predict.) You can also get bet boosts on specific bet builders, or choose your own odds by creating your own. One final flourish at bet365 – most games are available for live streaming.

What We Like:

The most MLB markets of any site
Live stream most MLB matches if you have a funded account
Boosted odds on pre-defined bet builders

Room for Improvement:

Coverage of non-MLB leagues is simply not as extensive

Visit Bet365

3. Betfred – Multiple Markets on all MLB games

If you’ve not considered betting on baseball before, then you are going to be surprised about the coverage that is available. Betfred is another UK site that has very good coverage of Major League Baseball. Just click the ‘baseball’ tab on the left-hand menu, and you’ll see everything that is available. The main options cover the MLB, but Chinese baseball is covered, too. Both South Korean and Japanese baseball seem to be missing.

One nice aspect of betting on baseball at Betfred is you get little snippets of key info, sponsored by Racing Post. This is essential, especially if you are just starting out with online baseball betting and have not yet dug deeply into everything about this unique sport. In terms of markets you will find the usual moneyline odds (see Betting Odds Explained), handicap betting, total runs over/under, team runs over /under and correct score. Sadly, one thing that Betfred lacks is the ability to bet on player props.

What We Like:

Useful info soundbites from Racing Post
Sufficient markets for most betting needs
Coverage of Chinese Pro League too

Room for Improvement:

No player props

Visit Betfred

4. William Hill – Close to 200 Markets Per MLB game

William Hill is another site with that crucial baseball betting online factor – plenty of markets! It is also one of the few UK sites with live streaming of baseball matches, although only MLB regular season games. You will certainly be impressed with the number of markets available per MLB game, which numbers close to 200! That’s an impressive amount, and it includes game factors and a multitude of player props.

You can see now many markets per game are available on the main page of the William Hill baseball section. There’s all the usual stuff plus player props such as to hit one out of the park or to steal a base. For pitchers, there are strikeouts, ERAs (see our terminology section later – as you will see, baseball is very rich in terminology!), hits allowed, walks allowed and a few others! Look for alternatives, too, where you can really test your online baseball betting knowledge.

What We Like:

Site with the most player props
Many dozens of markets per game
Live streaming of MLB regular games

Room for Improvement:

Too much choice can be confusing

Visit William Hill

5. BetUK – Bet on individual match events & team totals

BetUK does not quite become BetUSA when it comes to baseball, but it’s a close call (to put it in baseball terms, it just ‘nicks the plate’). While we like sites with plenty of markets, we can also see that having a large number of markets can be overwhelming, so we’ve selected BetUK as a having a kind of nice middle ground when it comes to placing your MLB bets. All the popular markets are available, plus there are some important, less obvious ones.

The most popular markets at BetUK are the three you’d most expect – the match odds (win), handicap (with a full list of alternative handicaps available), plus total runs over/under. With the latter, you can practically select any over/under total you want. Some inventive markets include a combination of side to score first and win, and total number of runs odd/even/ No live streaming of MLB here, but you can follow the action graphically, at least.

What We Like:

All the popular markets covered
Some inventive markets too
Coverage of non-MLB leagues

Room for Improvement:

No live streaming

Visit BetUK

Best Baseball Sites Compared

We’ve now selected a few key aspects of what any decent baseball betting site should offer for you. We have also indicated which of our selected sites have them (or score highly for them) and which have instead hit a fly-ball to the shortstop for an easy double play.

Site	Non-US baseball	Live streaming	Player Props	Handicap Betting
BetMGM	✅	❌	❌	✅
Bet365	✅	✅	✅	✅
Betfred	✅	❌	❌	✅
William Hill	✅	✅	✅	✅
BetUK	✅	❌	❌	✅
Spreadex	✅	❌	❌	✅
Fafabet	✅	❌	❌	✅
Betfair	✅	❌	✅	✅
Paddy Power	✅	❌	✅	✅
Fitzdares	✅	❌	❌	✅

How We Pick the Best MLB Betting Sites

So, we have picked out all these top-class betting sites for Major League Baseball, but how did we come up with these selections? Well, you might first want to look at How We Rate Bookmakers. Then add the following MLB-specific considerations:

Markets – Baseball is a game of numbers and statistics, which makes it a game of potential bets. We look for sites with a high number of suitable markets but we also take care as some markets offered are little more than ‘toss of a coin’ type bets. We think, as a general rule, that if a site has a mix of general markets, handicap markets and both team and player props, then it’s a good one for baseball betting.
Leagues – People think that baseball is only played in America, but that is simply not true. There are pro leagues all over the globe (Japan, South Korea, China, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Colombia, Australia and even Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany). We therefore look for sites that have betting options beyond the US.
Live betting and live streaming – Because of the slow pace of a baseball game, this is a sport that is ideal for live betting, so when we are considering a site for its baseball betting coverage, the extent of baseball live betting is a crucial factor. We like to see live streaming too, but only a small handful of sites actually have it.
And the rest – We also evaluate any site overall – not just for baseball. Is the site easy to use? Is there an app available, and is it any good? What kind of bonuses are offered? Can you select from a number of payment options? How quickly are your winnings paid to you? How good is the site’s safety record? We review every applicable aspect of a site before we gauge its suitability for baseball betting.

Key Baseball Betting Opportunities

Let’s now look at the key baseball betting opportunities that are available for you globally. Baseball is a global pastime and is not just played in the US although all the best players in the world do gravitate towards MLB, including those from Japan (where baseball is almost as popular as it is in the States) and Central America.

Baseball is thought to have been invented in England in the 1750s where a derivation of baseball called rounders remains popular. The game made its way across the pond in the 1830s, first to Canada and then to New York. Here the rules of ‘base-ball’ were refined, and the pastime spread across the nation. Because of the Civil War (1861-1865), baseball was easier for troops to play than the other popular bat-and-ball game of cricket, so cricket faded in popularity.

In 1876 the National League was formed consisting of eight teams from Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Hartford, New York, St Louis, Cincinnati and Louisville. The rival Western League started up in 1885 and changed its name to the American League in 1900. These leagues had slightly different rules (in the NL the pitcher batted, in the AL the pitcher did not, which remained a rule until 2022).

In 1903 the Boston Americans of the AL defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates of the NL over eight games in an exhibition match. Although there was no similar match in 1904, there was another AL Champion vs NL Champion game in 1905. This game proved to be so popular it was created as an annual event. Several names were given to this match but the one that finally stuck was the ‘World Series’.

The leagues were kept separate until 1997, when a handful of inter-league matches were played during the season. In the modern era, most of the 162 games per team that make up a full season are still separated by league.

Currently, MLB has 30 teams split equally across the two leagues into six divisions of five. At the end of the season, a dozen teams qualify for the playoffs, which are played in October to determine the American League and National League winners. These winning teams then go on to play in the World Series.

World Series

The World Series is the annual best-of-seven series of games between the champions of the National League and the American League to determine the best team in baseball. The New York Yankees have won the World Series the most times at 27 (The St Louis Cardinals are next with 11), mostly down to a period of dominance between 1936 and 1964.

National League

MLB’s National League consists of 15 teams, arranged as follows:

East Division	Central Division	West Division
Atlanta Braves	Chicago Cubs	Arizona Diamondbacks
Miami Marlins	Cincinnati Reds	Colorado Rockies
New York Mets	Milwaukee Brewers	Los Angeles Dodgers
Philadelphia Phillies	Pittsburgh Pirates	San Diego Padres
Washington Nationals	St Louis Cardinals	San Francisco Giants

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the National League the most times at 24, just one ahead of the San Francisco Giants.

American League

The American League also consists of 15 teams, with the following divisional arrangement.

East Division	Central Division	West Division
Baltimore Orioles	Chicago White Sox	Houston Astros
Boston Red Sox	Cleveland Guardians	Los Angeles Angels
New York Yankees	Detroit Tigers	Oakland Athletics
Tampa Bay Rays	Kansas City Royals	Seattle Mariners
Toronto Blue Jays	Minnesota Twins	Texas Rangers

The New York Yankees were, until 1964, the dominant force in the AL, winning the AL pennant on 40 occasions. The next best are the Oakland Athletics on 15.

Most Valuable Player

The most valuable player is the MLB’s equivalent of ‘player of the season’. One player from the AL and one from the NL is selected as the MVP each year before the playoffs commence, although the award is not announced until the playoffs have concluded. Members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote to decide each season’s MVP winners.

Several players (Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout) have won the award three times. Barry Bonds was voted NL MVP seven times, but his reputation has since been severely tarnished because of his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Other player awards available to bet on are the Cy Young (player with the lowest pitching average), Batting Champions (hitter with the highest batting average) and Rookie of the Year (best player with minimal previous MLB experience).

NPB

NPB stands for ‘Nippon Pro Baseball’ and is the national professional baseball league of Japan. It is recognised as second only to the MLB in terms of the standard of competition. Several top players in NPB such as Ichiro Suzuki (who was still playing pro baseball at the highest level when 46), Hideki Matsui and Shohei Ohtani have also become leading players in the MLB. Twelve teams compete across two leagues each season, with the Yomiuri Giants being the most successful with 22 titles.

KBO

The KBO is the highest level of baseball in South Korea. It was created in 1982 due the rise in popularity of baseball in the nation thanks to coverage of the MLB and NPB. Ten teams compete each season for the KBO championship, with the Kia Tigers winning the title a record eleven times. Several South Korean players have played in NPD and 28 have made it to MLB with Shin-Soo Choo (Mariners, Indians, Red, Rangers) and Byung-hyun Kim (Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Rockies, Marlins) perhaps being the most successful (although not to the extent of the top Japanese players such as two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani).

CNBL

Founded in 2002, the CNBL is the top-level professional league in China. It was suspended in 2012 but returned in 2014, then folded in 2016. In 2019 MLB agreed to resurrect the league as the China National Baseball League. Four teams competed that year, and the league was won by the Beijing Tigers. The league has been on hiatus ever since due to COVID restrictions in China.

NBL

The National Baseball League is the latest attempt to create a UK baseball league, albeit very much at an amateur level. Currently, there are six teams in the top tier. The 2023 title was won by the London Mets.

European Champions Cup

This annual European baseball competition has been running since 1963 and has included teams from Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, San Marino and Belgium. Parma from Italy are the most successful side with 15 wins. The 2024 tournament will be held in Brno, Prague (both Czech Republic), and Heidenheim in Germany.

Popular MLB Betting Markets

After having looked at the MLB and some of the other leading baseball competitions around the world, now it’s time to look at what you can bet when you are looking where to bet on baseball at the UK’s leading online MLB Betting Sites.

Outrights

As well as markets per game, you are also able to bet on outrights – the winners over the course of a season. This could be the winners of the World Series, the National League or the American League. You could bet on the winners of any individual division (there are three per league) or on a team to make the playoffs (a team does not necessarily have to win a division to make the playoffs). Don’t forget the winners of individual player awards, too.

Moneyline

The moneyline is just an American term for ‘odds’. Both sides of any baseball contest will appear on the moneyline, with their odds of victory displayed next to them. Note that nearly all baseball games are played until one team wins, even if that means extra innings are added onto the nine that were originally scheduled. This is considered as part of the game, and not as ‘extra time’ as it would in football.

Run Line

The run line in baseball is a handicap. Although it may differ, the standard run line handicap is -1.5 runs for the favourite and +1.5 runs for the underdog. You then have to select which team wins once this artificial handicap is applied. The handicap is not applied twice. Say it’s the Mets v the Braves, with the Mets +1.5 and the Braves -1.5. If you back the Mets then 1.5 runs will be added to their score … -1.5 is not taken off the Braves score as well.

Total Runs

This wager is a bet on the number of runs scored during a game on an over/under basis. The runs total depends on the sides playing but it is usually 6.5, 7.5 or 8.5. You just have to select whether you think there will be more total runs (by both sides) scored during the same than the amount offered, or not.

Hit a Home Run

This is another over/under bet, with the over/under total usually 0.5 and is offered on each individual player. The over/under total is the number of home runs they hit.

A home run is a ball hit over the boundary fence without it touching the ground (a ball that bounces before going over the boundary fence is a ‘ground rule double’ and allows the hitter to advance uncontested to second base, pushing forward any teammates already on the bases to make room). A home run allows the hitter to advance to all bases and then home plate to score. All players currently on base are also allowed to advance to home and score. A home run with a player on each base (‘the bases loaded’) scores four runs and is called a ‘Grand Slam’.

A ball does not have to leave the field for a home run to be scored. If a player manages to run to all three bases and then home plate without being tagged or the ball being caught from the bat, they also score a home run. This is known as an ‘inside-the-park’ home run.

Steal a Base/Bases Stolen

A player is on base if they are on first, second or third base while a hitter is at home plate. Players can run between bases at any time as long as the ball is live. If a player manages to move up a base without a hit being recorded and without being tagged, they are said to have stolen a base. This is, however, a risky move as all bases are usually guarded, and if the player is tagged (touched by a fielder’s hand which has the ball) they are out, potentially ending an inning.

You can bet over/under on any player for the number of bases they steal. The over/under total is usually 0.5.

9 Inning Correct Score

A baseball game is played over nine innings, with teams changing which side is batting every three ‘outs’. The winner of the game is the side with the most runs after nine innings. If it’s tied, then each side continues to get an extra inning each until a winner is found.

One bet you can place on a baseball game is the correct score once the regulation nine innings are up. As predicting the final score of any baseball game is a highly difficult task, you can expect very high odds.

Double Result

If you bet on other sports you may have bet on ‘double result’ which combines two outcomes into one bet, such as a home win and a tie, or a home win and an away win for example. If either result is the outcome, then your bet wins. You may be wondering how such a bet works in baseball, as a tie is extremely, extremely rare.

Indeed, a double result does work differently in baseball. With a double result you have to predict which team is winning after five innings, and which team will win the match. If you are correct on both counts, then your bet wins. Note, a game can be tied after five innings, and quite often it is.

Winning Margin

This is another baseball bet that is tough to call as baseball scores can be unpredictable. You just have to select the winning margin between the two teams, either exact or on an over/under basis. Often games in MLB are decided by a single run, but the record margin of victory was in 2007 when the Texas Rangers defeated the hapless Baltimore Orioles 30 runs to three.

MLB Sports Betting Sites Live Betting and Steaming

Like most American sports, baseball is a slow, stop-start game. There is a pitch every thirty seconds or so, but an ‘at-bat’ can last three, four or five minutes. As there are at least 54 at-bats every game, most baseball games last close to three hours. The longest pro game in history took place in 1981 at Triple-A level (the pro level below major league), when it took the Pawtucket Red Sox nearly eight-and-a-half hours (33 innings over three days) to beat the Rochester Red Wings 3-2, with 27 scoreless innings.

The slow-play factor of baseball makes it ideal for baseball live betting. If circumstances change within a game, you don’t have to react with breakneck speed to get your bet on, although you shouldn’t dally either. You can also continue to react as the game progresses.

Live streaming of MLB at UK betting sites is possible, but only a few sites live stream and there are restrictions, such as having a bet on the game that you want to live stream. Currently, MLB is not televised in the UK aside from the MLB London Series which will show the small number of matchups taking place in the UK in 2024. All MLB games can be live-streamed in the UK via a paid subscription to MLB.TV.

MLB Betting Online Tips & Strategies

Predicting the outcome of baseball games is notoriously difficult. During the course of the season, even the best teams will lose around 60 games, and winning over 100 of the 162 games per season is seen as some feat. Here, though, are three betting tips that you should find invaluable.

Pitching Match Ups are Everything
Being a starting pitcher in the MLB is an incredibly tough task. Hurling a ball accurately at 90-100 mph 100 or so times per match puts incredible stress on a body. That’s why, once he has pitched, a starting pitcher then rests for six or seven days. Few sides have five top-class pitchers, so it’s important when evaluating a match you take note of who is pitching. For example, in 2023 regular season top team the Atlanta Braves had a 20-5 record when Spencer Strider was the starting pitcher, but only 14-12 when it was Charlie Morton taking the mound.
Don’t Toss the Dice
As we have already espoused, baseball is a very unpredictable game. Teams play 162 games per season as that’s the only way to determine the best teams. In 2023 the best regular season side the Braves won 104 games but the worst side, the Oakland Athletics, still won 50 (compare that to the EPL in 2023-24 where Man City won 28 games and bottom side Sheff Utd only won three). There are lots of bets in baseball that are completely unpredictable, so basically you will be betting on the toss of a coin, or the roll of a dice. Work out which bets these are, and avoid them.
Follow the Players, Not the Teams
It’s bizarre to think, but the players in baseball are far more important than the teams. MLB exists simply to give the best in the world the chance to play baseball at the top level, and consistently successful sides simply do not exist since the end of the Yankees dominance in the 1960s. Therefore, it makes more sense to follow players as opposed to teams. Keep an eye on top players such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. See who they are facing, how they have been playing and the importance of their game and place your bets accordingly.

Where to Find the Best MLB Betting Odds

Because baseball is not that much of a big sport in the UK, you may find greater discrepancies between the odds offered by online MLB betting sites for baseball than other sports. We do not usually say this, but before you place a baseball bet, check around the other leading online bookmakers for MLB betting and see if you can better odds elsewhere. Remember, the more beneficial the odds, the greater the returns for winning bets.

As an attempt of an example, we highlighted the World Series winning odds for four leading MLB sides in MLB, and gave the ‘at the time’ odds (13:30 01/07/24) offered at four best MLB betting sites picks.

Betting Site	LA Dodgers	PHI Phillies	NY Yankees	BLT Orioles
BetMGM	3/1	19/4	19/4	7/1
Bet365	3/1	9/2	23/4*	11/2
Betfred	3/1	5/1	4/1	6/1
William Hill	3/1	9/2	9/2	7/1

*best odds available

As you can see each site offered different odds and although the best price possible was available for three teams, each ‘best odds’ was at a different site.

MLB Betting Apps

If you prefer betting on the go, then MLB betting apps are for you. You can download them to your phone or tablet, no matter if your device is powered by Android or iOS. Just head to the Apple App Store or Google Play and search the site you want to download the app for. If there’s an app available, then you’ll be able to download it. All features where available, including baseball live betting and live streaming, will be available via app.

You can still use any MLB betting site on your mobile device should you wish to, without downloading and installing an app. Just pop open your usual mobile browser and navigate your way to the site you wish to use. A mobile-enhanced version will then open up, allowing you to place your bets as you wish on mobile.

MLB Betting Online Glossary of Terms

Baseball, perhaps more than any other sport, has its own lexicon of terms. You don’t have to be a baseball expert to bet on baseball, but if you don’t know what ‘the pitcher on 3-2 throws a slider outside which the hitter pops up for the double play’ means, the sport is likely to remain unfathomable to you. Here are some important terms that we have picked out that you ought to be familiar with if you are betting on baseball.

Term	Definition
Ace	The first pitcher on a team’s pitching rotation.
At Bat	A completed plate appearance by a hitter.
Bag	A base.
Balk	An illegal pitching motion that usually awards the hitter first base.
Ball	A pitch that misses the strike zone and is not swung on. If a hitter receives four balls during an at-bat, they automatically advance to first base.
Base Hit	A successful at-bat that sees the hitter advancing to first base at least.
Bases Loaded	An at-bat with players on first, second and third base.
Base on Balls	The award of first base due to four balls thrown by the pitcher.
Battery	The combination of pitcher and catcher.
Blooper	A tamely hit ball that is not fielded in time to prevent a base hit.
Breaking Ball	A pitch that deviates from an expected straight path.
Bullpen	The group of substitute pitchers, or the area where they warm up.
Bunt	A deliberately tame ball hit between the pitcher and home plate.
Change Up	A disguised fastball that fools the hitter because of the decrease in velocity.
Checked Swing	When a hitter starts to swing but stops as he feels the ball is outside the strike zone. Is a swing if it breaks the plane in front of home plate.
Closer	A specialist pitcher brought into the 8th or 9th inning who is especially difficult to hit against.
Clutch Hit	A successful hit when under pressure.
Complete Game	An achievement by a pitcher when he pitches without being relieved.
Count	The count of balls and strikes – a full count is 3 & 2, three balls, two strikes.
Curveball	A pitch that curves as it moves, either towards or away from the zone.
Designated Hitter	A hitter who temporarily subs for the pitcher when it is the pitcher’s turn to hit.
Double	A hit that allows the hitter to get to second base.
Double Play	A fielding play where two offensive players are out on the same pitch.
Doubleheader	Where two games with the same teams are played on the same day.
Earned Run	A run for which the pitcher is accountable i.e. not down to fielding errors.
Error	A mistake that allows a hitter to reach a base when they should be out.
Extra Bases	A hit that results in a double, triple or home run.
Extra Innings	Innings added after the ninth inning to settle a tie.
Fastball	A ball that is thrown simply for its velocity.
Fielder’s Choice	A hit that is allowed rather than earned, for example, to set up a potential double play.
Fly Ball	A ball that is hit high in the air that should be easy to catch.
Force Play	Having to vacate a base as the runner on the previous base is running in order to reach it.
Foul Ball	A ball that lands beyond the boundary lines. A foul ball is a strike unless the hitter is already on two strikes.
Grand Slam	A home run with the bases loaded.
Ground-rule Double	A ball that bounces before going over the fence. The hitter is awarded second base.
Hit	Hitting the ball and reaching a base safely.
Hit by Pitch	Being hit on the body by an unavoidable pitch that leads to the automatic award of first base.
Hit for the Cycle	A hitter scoring a single, double, triple and home run in the same game.
Home Plate	The plate over which the batter stands.
Home Run	Hitting the ball over the fence to be awarded all four bases, or reaching home plate after rounding all three other bases on a single hit.
Infield Fly	An easy catch called by the umpire to signal the hitter out to prevent the fielder leaving the catch and instead forcing a double play.
Infielder	The fielders guarding the first three bases and the shortstop.
Inning	A team’s turn to hit or pitch, ended by three outs.
Left on Base	A hitter on base when the inning ends who therefore does not score.
Mound	The raised base from where the pitcher pitches.
No-hitter	A game in which one side scores zero hits. Also, a term if a pitcher pitches a complete game without allowing a single hit.
OBP	On base percentage. A metric that measures how successful a hitter is at reaching at least first base.
On Deck	The batter up next who usually warms up with several practice swings.
Outfielder	The fielders playing left field, center field and right field.
Perfect Game	A rare feat by a single pitcher who does not allow a single opposition player to reach any base during the same game.
Pickoff	A throw from pitcher to a base fielder that allows them to tag out a hitter who has temporary left a base.
Pinch Hitter	A substitute hitter usually brought in to increase the likelihood of a hit.
Pinch Runner	A substitute for a hitter already on base to increase the likelihood of a run.
Pitch	The throw of ball to the hitter’s strike zone.
Plate Appearance	The facing of at least one pitch. If a player comes to the plate but the inning is ended by a pickoff, for example, before the ball has been pitched, it is not counted as a plate appearance.
Rain delay	The suspension of a game as judged by an umpire due to inclement weather.
RBI	Run batted in. A hit that allows one or more runners (including, possibly, the hitter) to score.
Relief Pitcher	A pitcher who very rarely starts games, but subs for the starting pitcher or other pitchers for a limited number of innings.
RISP	Runner in scoring position. A base runner on second or third base who is likely to score if there is a hit.
RLSP	Runner(s) left in scoring position. Runners on second or third base who don’t score as the inning has ended.
Rotation	The starting pitchers. Normally five pitchers who take turns being the starting pitcher and rest completely when not starting.
Run	Scoring by reaching home plate after reaching first, second and third base in sequence either in a single play or a series of plays.
Rundown	A hitter stranded between bases who is trying to avoid being tagged out.
Sacrifice	Hitting the ball for an easy out that allows runners on base to advance.
Save	Awarded to the final pitcher to pitch if they preserve a lead for a win.
Shift	The repositioning of the field when facing a hitter who predominantly hits the ball left, or right.
Shut Out	Preventing the opposition from scoring a run.
Single	A hit to first base.
Slugger	A hitter who concentrates on extra base hits.
Squeeze Play	A soft hit designed to allow a runner on third to score.
Steal (a Base)	Advancing a base without the hitter at bat scoring a hit.
Strike	Swinging at the ball and missing or failing to swing at a ball that’s in the strike zone. A hitter with three strikes during an at-bat is out.
Strike Zone	The area through which the ball must pass to be a strike, else it is a ball. It is a three-dimensional space, decided by the umpire at home plate. Vertically, the edges are the edges of home plate. Horizontally, the line of the hitter’s knees, and the line of the mid-point of their torso. Despite technology now being able to define the strike zone, the award of balls and strikes remains an umpire’s decision.
Swing	A forward motion by the hitter of the bat that breaks the front plane directly above the plate.
Switch Hitter	A hitter who can hit both left and right-handed.
Tag	Touching an offensive player with the ball or hand/glove holding the ball. If the ball is live and the player not touching a base with a part of their body, they are out when tagged.
Tag Up	If the hitter hits a ball that is likely to be caught players on base must return to their base before advancing. They don’t have to if a ground ball is hit.
Top of the Order	The batters hitting first, second and third in the line-up.
Tossed	A player or manager who is removed from the game by the umpire.
Triple	A hit that allows the hitter to reach third base.
Walk	Another name for base-on-balls.
Walk Off	A run scored that immediately wins the game.
Wild Pitch	A pitch that is too wayward for the catcher to catch that may result in runners advancing or even scoring.

The Ninth Inning

Hopefully, our lengthy lexicon will have shown you how unique and rich baseball is as a sport, and how you could benefit by becoming a baseball expert and placing your wagers at MLB betting sites. This page has outlined the best MLB betting sites at which you can do that, and how you can make the most of your MLB betting online. Let’s hope with our online baseball betting tips you’ll soon be hitting your major league baseball betting tips out of the park!

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Peter Addison

Senior Betting Writer

Peter is one of the most well-known and well-respected names working in the field of online sports betting today. Having a Bachelor of Arts degree, Peter has worked for many high-profile publications in the industry, both online and in the real world. He joined the SafestBettingSites team in 2021 and has provided millions of words ever since. When not writing, Peter enjoys performing and writing music, gaming, reading and he is a massive movie buff, with a particular love of Japanese cinema and anime.

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