If you’re serious about wagering on Major League Baseball (MLB), there are several common MLB betting mistakes that you must avoid in order to be successful. Today, we want to highlight some of the most common MLB betting mistakes to help you make the most of your money.
Disregarding Home-Field Advantage
The impact of playing at home is significant in most sports, but home-field advantage is especially important in baseball. Not only are home teams more familiar with their field’s dimensions and conditions, but they can also benefit from their fans’ support.
On the flip side, visiting teams can be affected by factors such as travel fatigue and unfamiliarity with their surroundings. Of course, visiting teams win a lot of games throughout the MLB season, but you should never ignore the importance of home-field advantage.
Overlooking the Starting Pitcher
The starting pitcher is undoubtedly one of the most crucial elements when it comes to determining the outcome of an MLB game. After all, a team’s chances of winning or losing can vary significantly based on the starting pitcher.
Many baseball bettors, especially beginners, focus on other factors like a team’s reputation or offensive stats, rather than looking at the guy with the ball in his hand. So, be sure to analyze the starting pitcher’s recent performance and general form.
Ignoring Statistics and Trends
In this day and age, there is a seemingly endless number of MLB statistics and metrics available to bettors. With so many helpful numbers on offer, why would you not utilize stats and trends when betting on MLB?
Many rookie bettors ignore the numbers behind the game, focusing instead on the bookies’ odds. This is one of the most common MLB betting mistakes, so we recommend exploring as many metrics as possible to support your wagers.
Always Betting on the Bookies’ Favorite
Too many MLB bettors back the bookies’ favorite every time, disregarding the underdog. Sure, the favorite is the favorite for a reason, but the stronger team doesn’t always win.
With that in mind, we suggest carrying out research and looking for value in the bookies’ odds. If you can find reasons why an underdog might upset the odds, you could make bigger profits.
Worrying Too Much About Reputation
Just because a team has won the World Series in recent years, it doesn’t mean they will always win. Similarly, if a starting pitcher has won a couple of Cy Young trophies in the past, they aren’t guaranteed to dominate every game.
Instead of focusing on previous successes, place a greater emphasis on current form and recent results. Concentrating on the here and now is more beneficial than worrying about what happened in the past.
Ignore These Common MLB Betting Mistakes
We understand that everyone makes mistakes. At the end of the day, we’re all human. However, if you steer clear of these common MLB betting mistakes, you will stand yourself in good stead.
