MLB FUTURES

Few professional sports carry the sense of history, momentum, and strategy of Major League Baseball. Over the course of the 162-game regular season, teams and players experience hot streaks, slumps, and rallies that all affect where they ultimately end the season. A day at the ballpark—or watching from your couch or local pub—is a day rooting for your favorite team. Feel like you’re part of the action as your team goes on a winning streak or when your favorite pitcher closes out yet another win, as you root for your MLB favorites.

What are MLB Futures?

While a more common wager on MLB odds is to bet a head-to-head matchup the day of the game, MLB futures bets are exactly what the name suggests: MLB futures odds are placed on the likelihood that a given team will win a total number of games, pennant, or even the World Series months in advance. If you’ve done your homework and feel confident in your scouting, you could place a wager on your World Series winner as early as spring training.

Futures odds are updated frequently based on the events that are occurring. A star player’s injury, a major trade, or an emerging home run king could all significantly affect futures odds for those players and their respective teams. So, locking in a long shot early in the season might provide much better odds than later in the season as they inch closer to winning their division.

Why bet on MLB Futures?

An MLB futures bet is a long-term bet. You’re making your prediction and locking it in for weeks or months at a time. While these wagers can have larger payouts than wagers placed on the day of the game, this also means they carry greater risk.

Placing a futures bet on an MLB team or player is less about the payoff and more about the entertainment that comes from following your wager over time, hoping it develops, and rooting for your favorite team or player to come through. You’re digging in with a team far more than betting the spread on a mid-season game—you’re invested! Each streak, injury, save, and home run have an impact on your wager over time, and this contributes to the enjoyment and entertainment that comes from your bet.

Most Common MLB Futures Bets - World Series, Championships, Player Awards

One of the obvious options for an MLB futures bet is to choose a World Series winner before the season starts—you diligently read up on all the spring training reports, pre-season predictions from MLB writers, and your favorite teams to pick a winner from the start. Or, you could choose a World Series winner after the All-Star Break—the odds might not be as strong as division leaders have become more established, but these are also less volatile wagers.

Choosing division champions, or American or National League champions are also options in futures bets. You can also place wagers on individuals; futures wagers for top postseason honors like Manager of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Cy Young Award, and Gold Glove Award. Just like rooting for your favorite team, choosing a player you know has potential, placing a futures wager on them, and following their development throughout the season can provide a level of enjoyment to your wager.

Like any gaming experience, choose your bets with care and wisdom. Set clear limits for yourself and only place bets you can afford to lose. Sports gaming should never be about attempting to pay your bills or turn a profit—sports gaming is about responsibly adding a different layer of enjoyment to your professional sports experience.