Today’s MLB slate features just two games, providing a limited range of action to bet on, but hey, it’s the playoffs. The best game of the day is arguably the Brewers at Dodgers, but there’s plenty of value to be had by looking elsewhere, too.
Here are my favorite MLB prop bets, including runs and strikeout props, for today.
All MLB odds are current as of Friday, Oct. 17.
Best MLB Prop Bets
Brewers: Under 3.5 Runs (-130) vs. Dodgers
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Unit
One of my favorite MLB bets today is the Brewers to score under four runs.
So far this series, the Brewers have yet to score more than one run in any game. They’re also averaging 10 strikeouts per game.
While the Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani allowed three earned runs in his last start across six innings, he allowed just one over his four starts before that.
The Brewers are dead, and this series is over.
Best MLB Strikeout Prop Bets
Shohei Ohtani: Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-109) vs Brewers
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.5 Unit
As mentioned, the Brewers are averaging 10 strikeouts per game and struck out 12 times in Game 3 against Tyler Glasnow and company. Now, they’re taking on Ohtani, who’s had seven strikeouts or more in three of his last five starts, including in each of his previous two games.
He had nine against the Phillies and eight against the Diamondbacks before that.
Across 47 innings, he has an impressive 11.9 K/9.
Best MLB Home Run Prop Bets
Cal Raleigh: Home Run vs. Blue Jays (+253)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 0.25 Units
Not only does Raleigh have 63 home runs this season, but he’ll go up against Gausman, a pitcher he’s batting .417 lifetime against, including three home runs.
Gausman also allowed a home run in his last start against the Mariners.
Raleigh is the home run king and is in a good position to get another one here.
Best MLB Player Prop Odds Today
Check out our props comparison tool’s best MLB player prop bets for today’s MLB slate. Click on a game below to see all of its prop bets.
Catch more of our daily MLB bet picks
How Baseball Prop Betting Works
Prop betting in baseball is where users wager on other outcomes aside from who wins and loses, the run-line spread, or the total. There are player props and game props, and there can be non-game-related props if there are special events.
For instance, if you are planning to watch the New York Mets vs. the Atlanta Braves and don’t trust the Mets to win with Kodai Senga on the mound but still want to cash in on him pitching, you can bet his strikeout Over/Under prop.
Or if there’s a player in Atlanta with good career numbers against Senga, you can bet on him to get a hit or drive in a run during the game.
If Jose Quintana‘s Over/Under for strikeouts was set at 4.5 and he struck out five, Over would be the winning bet. If you bet on Matt Olson to have a hit or an RBI against Quintana, and he achieves that, then that Over bet will hit, too.
Best Baseball Prop Betting Sites
Betting baseball props is easy with no shortage of legal online sportsbooks. Here are a few of our favorites:
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM is an exceptional option for prop betting on baseball, with a slew of available markets and props for every MLB game each day.
The BetMGM app also offers users loyalty rewards, advice, and a live-stream option for certain marquee games and events. Users can watch their games in real-time and get the most accurate and dependable info to make informed bets and win big.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel is another great choice for baseball prop betting, particularly since users can parlay multiple props in a Same-Game Parlay. FanDuel, which popularized the Same-Game Parlay, has become the top sportsbook in the U.S. due to this prop-heavy betting option.
But wait, there’s more. FanDuel also recently released Game Parlay+, enabling bettors to combine multiple props from multiple games to win even more. FanDuel is the only sportsbook that offers that at the moment, and that feature should entice prospective bettors to participate in their service.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is a terrific option for betting on props in all sports, especially baseball. Caesars is well known for its terrific app and regularly boosts odds for props or parlays for marquee games.
With Caesars Rewards, users can also accrue points and use them for dining, and hotel stays at Caesars properties, and sports tickets, which means you can win big while also watching your online account soar.
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers has a wide variety of prop betting options for baseball bettors and gives new and novice gamblers a helpful guide to betting and tips and advice so they can make the best decision possible.
The BetRivers app also provides more than 100 markets for every MLB game each day, and the sportsbook has an exceptional welcome offer, as new users who make a first deposit of up to $250 will receive a 100% match.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings has a ton of betting options for every sport, especially baseball, and that makes turning those props into a Same-Game Parlay a breeze. DraftKings lets users combine many markets from the same game with the simple toggle of an icon.
The DraftKings online sportsbook is the most widely available option nationwide, meaning if you’re in a state where online betting is legal, you can undoubtedly use their app.
How to Pick the Best MLB Prop Betting Sites
Ease of Use
It’s important to feel comfortable with the sportsbook that you choose to use. Whether it be the layout of the website or the ease of depositing and withdrawing funds, it can make a difference in your overall experience.
Welcome Bonuses & Promotions
Keep an eye out for these bonuses or promotions, as they could prove to be profitable. As far as welcome bonuses go, some sportsbooks will offer free wagers to new customers. Regarding promotions, they can include boosted odds to potentially make wagers more profitable for customers.
Variety of Props
A wide variety of props equates to more opportunities to win money. That not only means offering game, team, individual, and season-long props but also offering more of them. A wider variety of props could also lead to added entertainment as you follow along with your wagers.
Odds on Props
This is very important. It’s not uncommon for multiple sportsbooks to list the same line on a prop. However, the odds can be different - use a betting calculator to compare payouts and find the best value. For instance, if DraftKings has the odds on a Mookie Betts hits prop at -110, but BetMGM is boosting it +115, it’s worth it to put your money down at BetMGM.
What MLB Prop Bets Are Available?
We already mentioned Over/Unders for strikeouts for starting pitchers as a prop betting option for baseball. Here’s a list of other standard prop bets for baseball:
- Over/Under for runs, hits, RBI, total bases, stolen bases, and strikeouts: Typically set at 0.5, will each hitter/batter accomplish that?
- Anytime home run hitter: Will an individual hitter hit a home run?
- Will the game go to extra innings?
- Alternate totals: If the Over/Under for runs is set at 8.5, you can bet lower or higher options at longer or shorter odds.
- Race to a certain run total: Which team will reach a certain run threshold first?
- Which starting pitcher will have the most/least strikeouts, walks, hits allowed, etc.? Pitching props are widely available for starters but may not be featured if an “opener} is being used.
Baseball Prop Betting Promotions
Prop betting promos like boosts are great enticements for users to bet. If the Spencer Strider strikeout prop or a Jose Altuve Over 1.5 hits in a game is boosted to plus-money at one online sportsbook, that’s a good reason to choose a particular sportsbook over another.
One type of promotion is an odds boost. This is where a bettor receives more lucrative odds for a typical prop bet to hit.
For instance, some sportsbooks might produce curated prop parlays, like enabling bettors to wager on Max Scherzer and Yu Darvish to combine for more than 14.5 strikeouts in a game featuring the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres.
Or maybe one would boost the odds on Mike Trout and Aaron Judge to each drive in a run in a game between the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees.
Other prop boosts could be for enhanced odds on Randy Arozarena to hit a home run for the Tampa Bay Rays in a specific game.
There are also welcome bonuses that are often offered for new members, including initial deposit matches up to a certain dollar amount.
Best Baseball Prop Bets
The only baseball prop bets better than the ones you love are the ones you love that are boosted. So be sure to peruse each sportsbook app daily to try and find those boosted props, whether it’s strikeouts, RBI, or who will hit a home run today.
Maybe a single sportsbook is boosting a star pitcher’s Over/Under of 5.5 strikeouts one night to +100. Take advantage of that boost and the extra 10% profit you’ll gain.
Or if a solid hitter getting a hit is boosted from -125 to +110 on one sportsbook, that’s well worth taking advantage of.
Props are great because they can hit even if the outcome you think will happen is completely wrong.
Baseball Prop Betting Strategy
Search for matchups you like and markets that seem attainable. Start small and then build your way to the three- and four-leg prop parlays that more seasoned gamblers can put together.
If your favorite team has an unfavorable matchup, but you think one of your favorite players will do well, it benefits you to wager on a player prop. There’s no wrong way to choose a prop.
The key to betting is to look for statistical trends. Fortunately, many sportsbooks offer trends and stats on their online platforms these days.
Common sense also pays off too. For instance, say the Los Angeles Dodgers are playing the first of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, and you know that home runs fly out of the ballpark in Denver.
That’s a great time to look for the best home run bets on one of the Dodgers’ top power hitters — like Betts, Max Muncy, or someone else who has been recently driving the ball.
Benefits of MLB Prop Betting Online
Prop betting on baseball is so much better online. For instance, so many props are boosted online, which provides a bigger payout than those made at a physical sportsbook. Payouts are faster online as well, giving users more playable funds to put toward other potential wagers.
Plus, users can shop for the best odds across a slew of sportsbooks instead of being confined to a single location, thus ensuring the largest possible payout.
How to Place a Baseball Prop Bet Online
Here’s how to place a prop bet on baseball: follow these simple steps to get started.
- Register at a preferred sportsbook. Be sure to click GET BONUS at the top of this page to ensure the max new-player bonus.
- Peruse the prop betting options for each MLB game.
- Find the one you like the best.
- Tap it to add it to your bet card.
- Insert the amount you want to wager.
- Press “Place bet."
- Root for it to hit!
Where Can I Legally Place an MLB Prop Bet Online?
Betting on baseball props is legal anywhere online sports betting is allowed. Here’s a list of those states:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Choose More Than One Baseball Prop Betting Site
Having funds in more than one online sportsbook enables bettors to shop to find the best odds possible for their preferred baseball prop bet. But you can only do that if you have money in more than one online sportsbook, which is why keeping funds in multiple accounts is integral.
Having a number of sites to place bets on props allows you to search for a variety of different props. Also, it’s important to search for odds across multiple sites to help maximize your potential profits.
Various sites also offer different promotions daily, so being registered with multiple sportsbooks would allow you to take advantage of those opportunities.
