How to Bet on MLB in Australia

Major League Baseball’s regular season runs from late March through late September, with the postseason extending through October.

During this time, thirty teams will each play 162 regular season games before the postseason narrows the field to a World Series champion.

To understand the size of it, that’s 2,430 regular season games in total, which makes MLB one of the most active sports betting markets on the calendar.

The sheer volume of games, coupled with the decisive impact of starting pitchers, makes MLB a market where diligent research and a disciplined, patient approach are very important.

How Major League Baseball Works

MLB has 30 teams split across two leagues: the American League (AL) and the National League (NL).

Each league has three divisions (East, Central and West), with five teams in each. Every team plays 162 regular season games between March and September, a mix of divisional, intraleague and interleague matchups.

The postseason begins in October. Twelve teams qualify: the three division winners from each league plus three wild card teams per league.

The format runs through a best-of-three Wild Card round, best-of-five Division Series, best-of-seven League Championship Series, and the best-of-seven World Series to determine the champion.

MLB games cannot end in a draw. If scores are tied after nine innings, extra innings continue until one team leads at the end of a complete inning.

For the 2026 season, MLB has also introduced the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), which allows batters, pitchers and catchers to challenge ball-strike calls, adding a new tactical layer to the game.

MLB Betting Markets Explained

As with most sports, when it comes to betting on the MLB, there are numerous in-match and futures markets available.

To make things easier to understand, let’s look at some of the main Baseball markets on offer to Sportsbet patrons

To see every single market available for Baseball, simply browse through the Sportsbet website or app, and select your desired match.

Head-to-Head (Moneyline)

As usual, the Moneyline is probably the simplest type of bet available, since you ‘only’ need to pick which team wins the game.

Remember that, because baseball doesn’t have draws, there are only two outcomes.

Odds are displayed in decimal format: the favourite will be shorter (say $1.65) and the underdog longer ($2.30).

One thing that makes baseball moneyline betting different from other sports is that starting pitchers have an enormous influence on the odds.

The same two teams can have significantly different prices depending on who’s on the mound.

A team that’s a clear favourite with their ace pitching might be an underdog 24 hours later with a back-end starter.

What to do with this info? Always check the listed pitchers before placing a head-to-head bet.

Run Line

The run line is baseball’s version of a spread. It’s almost always set at 1.5 runs.

The favourite starts at -1.5 (they need to win by two or more runs) and the underdog gets +1.5 (they can lose by one run and still cover).

Unlike other sports where the spread moves, the run line stays fixed at 1.5 and the odds adjust instead.

Taking the underdog on the run line is a popular approach when a team has a strong starting pitcher but the moneyline doesn’t offer enough return.

Totals (Over/Under)

This market is based on the combined runs scored by both teams. The bookie sets a line, typically somewhere between 7.5 and 9.5 runs, and you bet on whether the actual total lands over or under that number.

Totals are heavily influenced by the starting pitchers, the ballpark and the weather.

Some stadiums (like Coors Field in Denver) play much higher due to altitude, while others (like Oracle Park in San Francisco) suppress offence.

Wind direction, temperature and humidity all affect how far the ball carries.

These aren’t trivial factors in baseball.

Player Props

Player prop markets let you bet on individual performances within a game.

Common options include whether a specific batter will hit a home run, the over/under on a batter’s total bases, or how many strikeouts a starting pitcher will record.

Pitcher strikeout props are particularly popular because they’re relatively predictable.

A power pitcher facing a lineup that strikes out frequently will have a higher over/under, and the data to support your assessment is publicly available.

Futures

Season-long markets include World Series winner, pennant winners (AL and NL champions), division winners, and regular season win totals.

Because the MLB season is so long, futures prices shift constantly based on injuries, trades and form.

Win total over/unders are one of the more interesting MLB futures.

A team’s projected win total (say, 88.5 wins) gives you a full-season position to track.

Some punters take these before the season and let them ride; others wait for injuries or early-season trends to create pricing differences.

Why Starting Pitchers Matter So Much

No single player in any major sport has as much influence on a single game as an MLB starting pitcher.

A top-tier arm can suppress offence, extend innings and control the pace of a game in a way that changes the betting equation entirely.

Teams typically carry five starting pitchers who rotate throughout the season. That means each pitcher starts roughly every five days.

The quality gap between a team’s best starter and their fifth option can be dramatic.

A team’s ace might have an ERA under 3.00, while their fifth starter sits above 5.00. That gap translates directly into the odds.

Before betting on any MLB game, check who’s pitching. The moneyline, run line and total will all be set based on the announced starters.

If a pitcher is scratched and replaced after odds are posted, some markets may be voided or repriced.

Sportsbet’s terms will specify how listed pitcher changes are handled.

How to Watch MLB in Australia

ESPN holds the MLB broadcast rights in Australia. Games are shown on ESPN via Foxtel and streamed through Kayo Sports, which starts at $29.99 per month.

On average, two to six games per week are broadcast live, with replays and Kayo Minis (condensed highlights) available for catch-up.

Disney+ also carries ESPN’s MLB coverage in Australia from $15.99 per month.

For punters who want access to every game, MLB.TV is the league’s own international streaming service, covering all regular season and postseason games live and on demand.

There’s no free-to-air MLB coverage in Australia. Most regular season games are played in the evening in the US, which translates to late morning through early afternoon AEST.

Weekend day games in the US land in the early hours of Sunday or Monday morning here.