It is no secret that Major League Baseball (MLB) is the pinnacle of the sport, but there are many other high-profile baseball leagues to bet on. With prominent competitions in Asia, Central America and other regions around the world, let’s take a closer look at the best baseball leagues for gamblers.
MLB
The origins of Major League Baseball date back almost 150 years, making it the oldest major professional sports league in history. Made up of 30 teams from the United States and Canada, MLB comprises two leagues – the National League (NL) and the American League (AL).
Each team plays at least 162 games per season, meaning there are always tons of MLB betting opportunities on offer. With a postseason tournament and the iconic World Series following the regular season, Major League Baseball invariably dishes up excitement for both fans and bettors.
College Baseball
Although college baseball is nowhere near as big as Major League Baseball, you will still find plenty of college baseball betting options out there. These options are largely the same as MLB, including moneylines, totals, spreads, futures, props and various other markets.
College baseball in North America is organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCA), while other countries have different rules and regulations. When it comes to betting on college baseball, however, the principles remain the same.
NPB
Baseball is also hugely popular in Asia, and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) is Japan’s premier league. Often called Puro Yakyu within Japan, NPB is arguably the country’s most popular sports league, with more than 20 million baseball fans residing in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Nippon Professional Baseball consists of 12 teams – six in the Central League and six in the Pacific League. Like Major League Baseball, NPB seasons conclude with a postseason tournament before the overall winner is crowned at the end of the Japan Series.
LMB
Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB), also referred to as the Mexican League, is the top-tier baseball league in Mexico. Found back in 1925, LMB is the longest-running professional sports league in the county, with almost a century of history in the books.
With nine teams in the North Zone and nine in the South Zone, LMB teams battle it out to qualify for the postseason, while the Serie del Rey is the annual championship series. There are thousands of LMB games every season, meaning there is never a shortage of betting opportunities.
KBO League
Heading back to Asia, our final league is the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, which was founded in 1982 with six franchises. Now, the KBO League comprises 10 teams, with the top five and the end of each regular season advancing to the postseason.
The Korean Series is the KBO League’s equivalent to MLB’s World Series, and the championship games always produce high drama for fans and gamblers alike. Of course, MLB attracts all the top players from around the world, but the KBO League never disappoints.
Read our MLB draft betting guide next.
