Baseball is different than other major sports when it comes to sports betting as it's one of the only sports that you can hit less than 50% of your games and make a profit betting underdogs. By the same token, a baseball bettor can also win 60% of his games but lose money if betting favorites.

Listed below are some core factors to keep in mind when betting on baseball.

Pitching - No individual player in any team sport has as substantial an impact on the betting line as any of a limited number of high quality pitchers in baseball. Because they are the only players involved in their team's every play, it is primarily starting pitchers who have the most profound impact on a baseball game's odds. A dominant pitcher on a good team, such as Boston's Josh Beckett, Arizona's Brandon Webb or New York's Johan Santana, would be favored in almost every matchup situation. And even on those rare occasions when a Beckett, Webb or Santana would not be the wagering choice, such as facing the Mariners Felix Hernandez in Seattle or the Blue Jays Roy Halladay in Toronto, for example, they might only be a +115 underdog (bet $100 to win $115) where almost any other pitcher would be +150 or more.

Lefty/Righty - Although platooning has become a managers favorite thing to do, many teams still have left-handed or right-handed dominated batting lineups that perform significantly better against lefty or righty pitching. This can be especially true for teams that rely on left-handed power hitters who often have a notoriously difficult time hitting southpaw pitching. Crafty bet makers are aware of these statistical variations and pounce if they believe one team's best hitters will be compromised by an unfavorable left/left or right/right matchup.

Day/Night Games - The major impact here is on the game's total. In general, batters see the ball better during the day, a factor that, coupled with warmer temperatures, often results in more run scoring. Interestingly, weather can also play a role in domed stadiums such as those found in Houston, Milwaukee and Arizona. A closed dome usually favors hitters while an open dome gives the advantage to pitchers. The biggest problem here is securing that information.

Personnel Talent - "Good pitching stops good hitting," contends the old baseball adage but offense, especially in ballparks favorable to power hitters, counts for something too. So does defense, particularly up the middle (catcher, shortstop, second base, centerfield). In general, if the pitching matchup is even, the team with the best overall talent will be favored.

Home Field/Weather - The absence of travel and a familiarity with a ballpark are worth something but the advantages of the home field are more subtle in baseball than in other sports. One advantage is that the home team can doctor the field to enhance the talents of its personnel. For example, a team with superior speed and adept bunters can slope the first and third baselines inward so more balls roll fair. Also of great importance, park configuration and weather conditions vary greatly from stadium to stadium, affecting totals. The velocity and wind direction in cities such as Chicago, Colorado, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh and San Francisco can determine whether balls will be leaving the stadium or winding up as fly ball outs on the warning track.

Playing Surface - Some teams, usually because of their pitching, are more suited to slower grass fields than slicker, faster fields of Astroturf and other artificial surfaces. A sinker ball pitcher who keeps the ball low would have a greater chance of success on grass, where the ball does not go through the infield as quickly. Like tennis, surface matters.

Umpires - The tracking of individual umpires became a handicapping tool about 25 years ago. Sophisticated players take notes on home umpires, assessing their interpretation of the strike zone. A "pitcher's umpire" would have a generous strike zone and a "batter's umpire" would have a strict strike zone. But the analysis is more sophisticated than that. Gamblers track whether an umpire's strike zone is generous or stingy high, low, and/or wide. Then they assess whether the pitcher fits that zone and wager accordingly. Umpiring assignments generally are available to the public 30 minutes before the start of a game. Once the assignments are posted for Game 1 of a series the bettor knows the assignments for the rest of the series too: Umpiring crews rotate clockwise, meaning the home plate umpire in Game 1 will be the third base umpire in Game 2 and the first base umpire in Game 1 will be the home plate umpire in Game 2. With web sites now offering statistics on umpire information, it can be a valuable asset when betting on baseball.

Hot or Cold Streaks - Pitchers, batters and even teams encounter those periods where almost everything seems to go wonderfully right or woefully wrong. What's more, because most baseball wagering is done using a money line as opposed to a pointspread in football and basketball, bookmakers are powerless to affect the outcome of a contest. They can jack up the price on a hot team but if bettors are willing to lay it, there's nothing they can do about it. Streaks occur in all sports, of course, but because they are so pronounced in baseball, successful gamblers have learned that it is far more profitable to ride a streak than try to buck that trend. Remember in baseball they play 162 games in a year. It's not uncommon for a playoff team to lose four or five games in a row in any stretch of a season.

Many sports bettors focus on methods that might include following public betting, steam plays or what the wiseguys are playing and with so many tools available when it comes to internet betting, it's another added tool. Remember to never think you are smarter than the book. Don't let pride get in the way of your handicapping and try to stay away from teams where you root for as a fan.

If you can keep the above in mind you will have a greater chance of being successful when it comes to betting on baseball.

This article includes information posted in 2004 by Luken Karol but has been modified with permission and updated.

Copyright © 6/21/2008 - Cappers Mall - All Rights Reserved