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How to Wager on MLB Early in the Season - Tips and Expert Advice

by - 4/7/2016

Alberto Callaspo Atlanta Braves

The most exciting part of spring is that baseball is back, and for bettors that means a regular slate of games to wager on for the next six months. Baseball is a long season with ebbs and flows, and you will not approach betting on the sport the same way early in the season as opposed to the midpoint and end of the year. Let's take a closer look at the early part of the 2016 season and figure out the best way to wager on baseball in April and into May.

Do not overestimate favorites : Baseball is a game of information and statistics, and during the early portion of the season bettors have the least amount of knowledge. Many times bettors end up wagering based on expectation rather than trends or reality, and sometimes those expectations can turn out to be wrong. Every season there is a handful of teams that are expected to be contenders that turn out to be awful. The key is to not get caught up in your own ideas of who should be a contender and let the teams inform you which are contenders and which are not.

Do not underestimate underdogs : on the other end of that spectrum are the underdogs, and every year there are a handful of other teams that are expected to be awful that turn into potential contenders or at least solid betting options. At the beginning of the season, however, those underdogs get overlooked and underestimated until bettors catchup with those trends. Just a few seasons ago the Kansas City Royals came out of nowhere to defy expectations. Now they have two World Series appearances and a championship to show for it.

Focus on pitching : wagering based on pitchers may be the easiest way to handicap a game because they can be so dominant. However, during a long baseball season, those early starts might not mean as much, particularly if a pitcher is coming off an injury and looking to take things slow. Just because a pitcher was dominant in the previous season doesn't mean they will continue that dominance into the next one. Many baseball experts believe that going against overpriced pitchers early in the year can be a great way to make a profit. The key is to focus on pitching and try to figure out which high-profile players might struggle and which lesser-known players might excel.

Start slow : many experts also believe the best way to wager early in the season is to start slow and not rush into things. There are over 2,400 games to be played in a MLB season, so there will be no shortage of opportunities to bet on games and find solid lines. The first month of the season is a feeling-out process with teams falling short of, or exceeding, preseason expectations. If you plan on betting baseball every day, start consuming the game once the year begins and do your own scouting until you are ready to begin.

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