Mistakes are inevitable, including in sports betting. However, you do not need to commit the mistakes others are constantly making. Instead, familiarize these mistakes and learn from them.
MLB or Major Sports League betting is not exempted from mistakes. Many punters betting for the MLB are still committing mistakes repeatedly until now. Let us share the most common mistakes bettors are making in MLB and learn from them.
Placing Bets Before the Starting Lineups Are Posted
Most bettors tend to place their bets before the initial lineup is confirmed. It happens when a friend or a peer gives them “locks” the night before. It could be a nice gesture, but it is terrible advice that you should avoid. In baseball betting, placing your bets in advance damages your chance for successful betting, especially on locking in.
You have to consider injuries and fatigue that affects baseball players. Star players will unexpectedly sit out, which will impact the team’s chances of winning the game. However, you don’t have to rush to place your bet. The starting lineups will be released 1-3 hours before the game. It means that you will have enough time to examine each player playing on the field and lock in your bet.
In baseball, the first nine players often change any day depending on whether the pitcher is an RHP or an LHP. RHP means a right-handed pitcher, and LHP means a left-handed pitcher. You should start picking after the lineup is announced rather than before due to the high chances of the key players sitting out in a game.
Betting on Teams Without Understanding the Odds
When it comes to baseball, most bets placed on MLB games don’t have a point spread, unlike with other sports like basketball and football. But instead, punters bet on the Moneyline. Bettors tend to ride on teams focusing only on their aim to win. If you do this, you should be prepared as it will cost you over time.
If you want to succeed in betting, you should never focus on who you think will likely win the game. Instead, you should examine MLB spreads and use it when handicapping for a baseball game. Your goal is to find the team that will be most likely to win plus favorable odds. Baseball is like any other sport where finding value is essential.
Some punters achieve success in riding on underdogs over favorites throughout the season. It is because you will get more money back compared to betting on a win.
Following Only Your Heart and Not Your Brain
Diehard fans will always have a favorite team that they will root for in every sport. Because of this, they tend to bet by following their heart. So, even though their favorite team has a 50/50 chance of winning or even 60/40, they will still entrust their bet on the team.
Frequently, undisciplined punters tend to side with their favorite team no matter what the projections. Of course, they want to see their favorite team win, which is understandable. However, it is not the proper way to bet on every sport, including the MLB.
When betting, your primary goal is to win and profit, not show your diehard fanaticism on MLB teams. So, instead of betting by heart, you should use your brain and analyze the possibilities using the numbers and trends. Then, focus on not losing money and not being a fan.
Getting Stuck on Old Trends
Trends in baseball are those events in the past that lead to a specific outcome. Trend in sports referring to a specific occurrence that happened many times will likely to happen again in the future. For example, in a home advantage situation where home teams win the game most of the time. Most of the time, the away team will be too tired from traveling, or they are less familiar with the stadium than the home team.
This trend can be used as a measurement to know who will likely win the game. That is why trends in sports are a vital piece of information. However, some trends are too outdated to be used in handicapping. For instance, if you are still using data about a specific starting pitcher already aging. Although his history is outstanding, his age might affect his current performance.
He may lose the velocity on his fastball and many more. You should always consider these instances and don’t get stuck on trends that are old or changing along with the changes experienced by the players or the team as a whole.
Not Setting a Budget
Before you start betting, you should create a budget and only use the money intended for betting and nothing more. To help you avoid going beyond your budget or bankroll, you should always bet in cash and only bring enough cash that you’re willing to part ways with.
Moreover, leaving your credit or debit card at home will help you prevent the urge to use more money for betting. Always remember, one way to achieve a successful betting and for making wagering fun is to stick to a budget and not get bankrupt.
Ponder on These Mistakes
Now that you are aware of punters’ most common betting mistakes in MLB, you should avoid them altogether. However, familiarizing these mistakes will help you identify one when you come across it in some instances. So start your MLB betting journey, use this list of mistakes as a guide, and achieve a successful wagering experience.
