MLB Bet Types Explained: Moneyline, Run Line & Totals
Baseball is the best sport for +EV betting — long season, huge sample, and softer lines than the NFL. Here are the bet types you'll actually use.
Moneyline
The simplest bet: pick who wins. Odds reflect the favorite (negative number, e.g. -150) and underdog (positive, e.g. +130). Because baseball games are close and upsets are common, moneyline underdogs are often where the value hides.
Run line
Baseball's version of the point spread, almost always set at 1.5 runs. The favorite at -1.5 must win by 2+; the underdog at +1.5 can lose by exactly 1 and still cash. It's a way to get a better price on a strong favorite or insurance on a live dog.
Totals (over/under)
Bet whether the combined runs by both teams go over or under a posted number (e.g. 8.5). Totals are driven by pitching matchups, weather, and ballpark — which is exactly the kind of structured signal a model handles well.
Popular player props
- →Player to record a hit / 2+ hits
- →Player to hit a home run
- →Player to record an RBI
- →Total bases (over/under)
- →Pitcher strikeouts (over/under)
Closeline grades all of these and sends the +EV ones in plain Bovada language — e.g. "Player to record a hit" — so what you see matches what's in the book.