MLB betting in Massachusetts

As home to half of the best rivalry in Major League Baseball (the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees), MLB Betting in Massachusetts is quite popular and is a go-to option for gamblers in the Commonwealth. In this piece, we’ll take a look at some of the top sites for betting on baseball in MA, as well as how to get started making your wagers.

By: Dan Bradley

| Last Updated: July 2, 2024

Table of contents

Best Massachusetts sportsbooks for MLB betting
How to bet on MLB online in Massachusetts
What bet types are there for MLB wagering in Massachusetts?
How to read MLB odds
Expert advice when wagering on MLB

Best Massachusetts sportsbooks for MLB betting

The nature of what makes a Massachusetts sportsbook the “best” is somewhat up for interpretation. For some, the priority will fall on mobile app performance and bonus frequency; others may prefer an intuitive web platform and a generous selection of live-betting markets.

While the true “best” option is for you to decide, we’ve found these operators to provide a balance of reliable softwares, generous bonuses, ample MLB markets, and other areas that will appeal to bettors.

DraftKings

DraftKings MA is truly the Massachusetts sportsbook as it was founded in Boston in 2012. It has seen a lifetime sports betting handle of more than $2 billion in MA and is almost $1 billion ahead of its next closest competitor. DK is an excellent choice for bettors who enjoy in-play wagering.

FanDuel

FanDuel MA is the second sportsbook to cross the $1 billion mark in lifetime betting handle and is firmly entrenched as the second-most popular among Massachusetts bettors (more than $700M in handle ahead of the next book). The number of same game parlay markets, especially those already crafted by FanDuel for easy play, are a great draw for serious and casual bettors alike.

BetMGM

BetMGM has one of the best rewards programs in the industry, and their customer service in all aspects is a gold standard among sports betting sites. We’ve found the browser platform to be slightly quicker and easier to use than the mobile app, but both are fine additions to your betting repertoire.

ESPN Bet

Formerly Barstool Sportsbook, ESPN Bet rolled out in November 2023 as the new brand face of the PENN Entertainment sports betting platform. ESPN Bet offers competitive odds alongside exclusive content from ESPN’s on-air personalities.

How to bet on MLB online in Massachusetts

Betting on the MLB online in Massachusetts will be a simple process no matter where you choose to gamble. Here’s how you can get started.

Learn more about Massachusetts sportsbooks: At MABetting.com, our goal is to provide you with as much accurate, unbiased information as we can about all things pertaining to gambling in the state. To that end, we’ve written thorough reviews of all approved operators, complete with an overall rating based on what we’ve found to be the most important factors for bettors. You can learn more about the licensed MA sportsbooks in the “Online MA Sportsbooks” tab at the top of this page.
Get registered: Next, use the links in the sportsbook reviews to access the registration forms at the sportsbooks where you intend to gamble. These links will guarantee that you’re receiving the best available welcome bonus offer; we’ll also have any necessary promo codes listed for your convenience. Under Massachusetts law, you’ll need to be at least 21 years of age to register; you’ll need to provide your name, birth date, address, email, phone number, and the last four digits of your social security number when you’re signing up.
Study which games, teams, and players to back: Before making any bets, you should put in some time researching the matchups as well as their prices at the sportsbooks. The more information you have at your disposal, the more likely you are to make winnings bets.
Shop the odds: It’s always important to get the best deal when you’re making your wagers. Shopping the odds will ensure you’re able to get the best value for the bets you’re intending to make and thus allowing you to receive a bigger payout for a stake of the same size.
Place your bets: When you’re finally ready to make your bets, click on them in a browser window or tap them in the mobile app to add the lines to your betting slip. From there, decide the amount of money you want to wager on each line (or if you’re making a parlay, the size of your parlay stake) and hit “Submit.” Then all you need to do is sit back and wait for your bets to play out, hopefully resulting in some big wins along the way!

What bet types are there for MLB wagering in Massachusetts?

You’ll find no shortage of bet types for MLB wagering in Massachusetts. Here are a few of the most popular ways to play:

Moneyline and run line: Moneyline bets are wagers on which team you think will win a game, while run line bets are akin to a spread bet in football. The betting favorite will need to win by a predetermined margin (usually by at least two runs, though in some cases, the line could move up to +/- 2.5 runs), while the underdog could win on the run line even in a loss if they kept the score close.
Player and team props: Particularly popular when building same game parlays, player and team props are wagers that focus on specific in-game events that aren’t necessarily tied to the final score. Examples would include betting on the Boston Red Sox player(s) who will hit a home run, how many total strikeouts for the starting pitcher, and whether or not Boston will have the lead after five innings.
YRFI/NRFI: YRFI and NRFI are acronyms standing for “Yes, Run in the First Inning” or “No Run in the First Inning.” While the other two bet types listed above apply to many sporting events, YRFI and NRFI are exclusively for baseball and softball. Because these bets are settled before the end of the game, you could potentially win this bet and double down by betting those winnings on another in-play wager.

How to read MLB odds

Reading MLB odds can be a tad confusing at first, as the American way of posting odds is a bit unusual (compared to fractional, decimal, or implied odds). Still, with this guide, you’ll have a handle on things in no time.

When reading MLB odds, the most important thing to look out for is which outcome is the betting favorite (most likely to happen). The favorite is designated by the “-” symbol, which typically means you’ll need to wager more money than what you could potentially win (for example, betting $10 on a line with -200 odds would only win you $5, leading to a $15 payout).

On the other hand, betting on the underdog, denoted by a “+” sign, is the less likely betting outcome. As a result, you will win more than the value of your initial stake on a winning wager (for example, the same $10 bet on a line with +200 odds would win $20 and pay out $30).

To calculate winnings when betting on the favorite, the number after the “-” sign represents how much money you would need to wager to win $100; if the Red Sox were favorites at -150, a $150 wager would win $100 and pay out $250.

Conversely, the number after the “+” sign translates to how much money you would win on a $100 wager. Say Boston was the underdog at +150; in this example, a $100 wager would win $150 and pay out $250).

It’s important to note that you DO NOT have to wager $100 or more on every bet; this is just the easiest way to think about the potential returns. If you wager a smaller amount, the payouts will adjust proportionately to the size of your stake.

Expert advice when wagering on MLB

Here is our best expert advice when wagering on MLB.

Avoid heavy favorites: If you see odds of -200 or greater (-225, -250, etc.) for a moneyline or run line bet, it’s usually best to stay away from these matchups. The wager would require you to bet twice (or more) the amount of a potential winning, and the risk of taking a loss in that scenario is significant, as moneyline favorites only win roughly 57.5% of games. Risk management is an important skill to master to take your betting skills to the next level.
Take advantage of the long MLB season: Major League Baseball teams play a 162-game regular season, giving you a massive sample size of data to work with. Long-term statistics tend to paint a more broad picture of team and player performances than what the last five games will. Additionally, because there are so many opportunities to bet, don’t be afraid to take a few days off and reset your strategies throughout the year, especially if you run into a cold streak.
Pay attention to line movement: This one takes a bit more diligence during the lengthy season where days off aren’t as frequent. Once lines for a given game are posted, write down the odds. Then on game day, check in with the odds a few more times to see how much line movement has occurred. Say the Red Sox are playing the Yankees and New York opens as a -140 favorite. Then the next day when you check, the line is down to -120 despite the Yankees getting 75% of the moneyline wagers. This is called “Reverse Line Movement,” and it happens when betting sharps recognize a reason to bet against the public action, meaning the “smart” bet is on Boston. Sportsbooks have perceived the sharps betting the opposite and the line has skewed as a result.

Author Details

Dan Bradley

Dan Bradley, a betting analyst and author at MA Betting, brings extensive experience from over a decade as a hockey commentator for junior teams in Illinois, Minnesota, and Ohio. When he's not engaged in writing or co-hosting his NHL-focused podcast, "Pod Snipe Celly," Dan is frequently seen at the rink, immersed in the hockey world.