The Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers open the 116th World Series Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 8:09 p.m. ET (on FOX). As the top seed, the Dodgers will be the home team in the first two games of the 2-3-2 format. Below, we analyze the Rays-Dodgers World Series Game 1 MLB betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
It was known in baseball circles since the 1970s that Pete Rose had a gambling problem. Although at first he bet only on horse races and football games, allegations surfaced in early 1989 that. Major League Baseball is one of the most popular sports in America, with over 162 games played in an eight-month period, more than any other league. With so many opportunities to bet and win money in a season, it is important that you understand the nuts and bolts of betting on MLB.
The Rays (40-20 regular season) and Dodgers (43-17), the top seeds in their respective leagues, both needed seven games to win their League Championships. The Rays defeated the Houston Astros, while the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves.
L.A. is making its third World Series trip in the last four years but is seeking its first title since 1988 when Kirk Gibson hit one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history. Tampa Bay is 0-1 in the Fall Classic, losing its only appearance – 4-1 to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
With so many MLB games it can be hard to stay on top of everything. That's why The Sports Geek is committed to offering high quality MLB betting picks for free! Our expert MLB handicappers are here to help you find the most betting value in each daily lineup. MLB run line betting works in the opposite way too. There are a lot of 1-run games in baseball and betting on a team +1.5 runs is a great way to string together wagering wins if you think teams can keep games close. Free MLB Picks Totals. There's no other sport where the stadiums and the weather are so crucial to the scoring as the MLB. Mar 20, 2020 MLB games can't end in a tie, but bets sometimes can (the Over/Under is the most common push in baseball betting). Chalk: Referring to odds on heavy favorites. The odds are generally so low as to not be worth betting as the profit margin is too small to warrant the small risk.
Rays vs. Dodgers: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Tyler Glasnow vs. LHP Clayton Kershaw
Glasnow finished the regular season 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA (57 1/3 IP, 26 ER) and 91 K in 11 starts. This postseason, he's 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA (19 1/3 IP, 10 ER) and 25 K in 4 starts.
Last start: Loss, 6 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 5 K vs. Astros in ALCS Game 4 last Wednesday – Rays lost 4-3Career vs. Dodgers: 0-0, 13.50 ERA (4 IP, 6 ER) in 3 relief appearances as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018Career postseason: 2-3, 5.47 ERA (26 1/3 IP, 16 ER) in 6 startsKershaw went 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA (58 1/3 IP, 14 ER) in 10 regular-season starts in 2020. He's 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA (19 IP, 7 ER) and 23 K in 3 playoff starts this fall.
Last start: Loss, 5 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K vs. Braves in NLCS Game 4 Thursday – Dodgers lost 10-2Career vs. Rays: 2-0, 1.88 ERA (14 1/3 IP, 3 ER) in 2 startsCareer postseason: 11-12, 4.31 ERA (177 1/3 IP, 85 ER) in 28 starts and 7 relief appearancesWorld Series Special Betting Promotion!
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Rays vs. Dodgers: Key injuries
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Rays vs. Dodgers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Rays 5 Dodgers 2
Money line (ML)
The RAYS (+150) are the play. The price is a bit inflated because of Kershaw and the Dodgers (-167) being more famous, but Kershaw's postseason struggles are no secret.
While the three-time Cy Young Award winner most likely will land in Cooperstown once his career is over, it won't be because of his postseason performances. In his last 7 playoff outings, dating back to the 2018 World Series, he's 2-4 with a blown save and a 5.20 ERA (36 1/3 IP, 21 ER).
Tampa Bay didn't get here by accident – with a top-notch pitching staff and LF Randy Arozarena, the ALCS MVP, leading the offense. He's hitting .382 (21-for-55) with 7 HRs and 10 RBIs in 14 postseason games this year.
Baseball Betting Odds
New to sports betting? Every winning $1 bet on the Rays ML profits $1.50. It will take $1.67 to win $1 when backing the Dodgers ML.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Rays +1.5 (-134) | Dodgers -1.5 (+110)
PASS since I'm focusing on the Rays ML and the Under.
Over/Under (O/U)
Back the UNDER 7.5 (-121). If it climbs to 8, make it a STRONG PLAY – 1.5 times your usual wager.
Both relief corps are among the best in baseball. Tampa Bay's bullpen ranked second in the AL and third in the majors with a 3.37 ERA during the regular season; Dodgers relievers led the NL and were second in MLB with a 2.74 ERA. (The Oakland A's were first at 2.72.)
How To Bet On Mlb Games
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Mlb Predictions For Tonight's Games
Also see:
World Series Prop Bet Payday: 5 Los Angeles Dodgers prop bets for Game 1World Series Prop Bet Payday: 5 Tampa Bay Rays prop bets for Game 12020 World Series odds, picks, predictions and best bets| Johnny's 2020 MLB record | 79-56-1 |
| 2020 MLB postseason / Strongest plays | 15-19 / 6-8 |
| 2020 overall record (all sports) | 121-92-3 |
| Strongest plays (all sports) | 60-36-1 |
Follow @JohnnyParlay11 on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
The MLB Season is often described as a marathon instead of a sprint. Not only do players and teams go through the ups and downs of the regular season, but handicappers often fare the same way. Baseball spans more than seven months and has 4,860 regular-season games to wager on, which means it's vital that you pick the right spots and know how to properly place an MLB wager. There are several betting options available to the MLB, with the most popular ones being the moneyline .
However, because baseball is such a 'me vs. you' type of sport (read: pitcher vs hitter), sportsbooks set their odds based on the pitching matchup. And if a starting pitcher were to get scratched before throwing a pitch, the whole handicapping process gets thrown for a loop.
What Happens to my MLB Bet if There is a Pitching Change?
The answer to this question is relatively simple, but there are a few bases to cover before we come to the final answer.
If you were to look at the run-down of games through an online sportsbook or a giant digital board inside one of Las Vegas' many sportsbooks, you will notice four things that are vital to making a bet. You will notice the rotation number, team name and listed odds. The fourth thing you will notice is the pitcher's name. Knowing this is crucial for betting baseball because you are not only handicapping the starting pitcher but also the rest of the bullpen behind him.
Example:
501. Toronto Blue Jays: +130 (M. Stroman)
502. Cleveland Indians: -150 ML (Trevor Bauer)
There are two ways to bet this game; listed pitchers or action.
If you decide to go the 'listed pitchers' route, you are making a wager with the mind frame that both pitchers will start the game and throw at least one pitch. If they throw one pitch, it doesn't matter what the outcome is, or if they leave through injury, your bet will be live and be graded as per the final result.
Let's say you bet 'listed pitchers' and Stroman gets a blister or breaks a nail during warmup and is unable to start the game. All bets that have 'listed pitchers' will be voided and your money will be returned. What happens when a pitcher is scratched is the sportsbooks take down the lines and adjust them to factor in the new pitcher. If Stroman gets scratched and the Jays have to rely on a bullpen pitcher to start the game, their odds will check in somewhere at +170 when the line reopens.
Now, let's say you want to bet this game regardless of the pitchers because Cleveland is on some sort of heater and has won 17 straight day games or something like that. You would choose 'action', which means that your bet will be graded as a winner or a loser regardless of which pitchers start the game.
Some sportsbooks offer up the option to choose listed pitchers for one team or the other. For example, if you want to make sure your bet is graded on Stroman starting, you can select listed pitchers for the Blue Jays and regardless of who starts for the Indians, the bet will be graded.
Baseball Betting Odds
New to sports betting? Every winning $1 bet on the Rays ML profits $1.50. It will take $1.67 to win $1 when backing the Dodgers ML.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Rays +1.5 (-134) | Dodgers -1.5 (+110)
PASS since I'm focusing on the Rays ML and the Under.
Over/Under (O/U)
Back the UNDER 7.5 (-121). If it climbs to 8, make it a STRONG PLAY – 1.5 times your usual wager.
Both relief corps are among the best in baseball. Tampa Bay's bullpen ranked second in the AL and third in the majors with a 3.37 ERA during the regular season; Dodgers relievers led the NL and were second in MLB with a 2.74 ERA. (The Oakland A's were first at 2.72.)
How To Bet On Mlb Games
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Mlb Predictions For Tonight's Games
Also see:
World Series Prop Bet Payday: 5 Los Angeles Dodgers prop bets for Game 1World Series Prop Bet Payday: 5 Tampa Bay Rays prop bets for Game 12020 World Series odds, picks, predictions and best bets| Johnny's 2020 MLB record | 79-56-1 |
| 2020 MLB postseason / Strongest plays | 15-19 / 6-8 |
| 2020 overall record (all sports) | 121-92-3 |
| Strongest plays (all sports) | 60-36-1 |
Follow @JohnnyParlay11 on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
The MLB Season is often described as a marathon instead of a sprint. Not only do players and teams go through the ups and downs of the regular season, but handicappers often fare the same way. Baseball spans more than seven months and has 4,860 regular-season games to wager on, which means it's vital that you pick the right spots and know how to properly place an MLB wager. There are several betting options available to the MLB, with the most popular ones being the moneyline .
However, because baseball is such a 'me vs. you' type of sport (read: pitcher vs hitter), sportsbooks set their odds based on the pitching matchup. And if a starting pitcher were to get scratched before throwing a pitch, the whole handicapping process gets thrown for a loop.
What Happens to my MLB Bet if There is a Pitching Change?
The answer to this question is relatively simple, but there are a few bases to cover before we come to the final answer.
If you were to look at the run-down of games through an online sportsbook or a giant digital board inside one of Las Vegas' many sportsbooks, you will notice four things that are vital to making a bet. You will notice the rotation number, team name and listed odds. The fourth thing you will notice is the pitcher's name. Knowing this is crucial for betting baseball because you are not only handicapping the starting pitcher but also the rest of the bullpen behind him.
Example:
501. Toronto Blue Jays: +130 (M. Stroman)
502. Cleveland Indians: -150 ML (Trevor Bauer)
There are two ways to bet this game; listed pitchers or action.
If you decide to go the 'listed pitchers' route, you are making a wager with the mind frame that both pitchers will start the game and throw at least one pitch. If they throw one pitch, it doesn't matter what the outcome is, or if they leave through injury, your bet will be live and be graded as per the final result.
Let's say you bet 'listed pitchers' and Stroman gets a blister or breaks a nail during warmup and is unable to start the game. All bets that have 'listed pitchers' will be voided and your money will be returned. What happens when a pitcher is scratched is the sportsbooks take down the lines and adjust them to factor in the new pitcher. If Stroman gets scratched and the Jays have to rely on a bullpen pitcher to start the game, their odds will check in somewhere at +170 when the line reopens.
Now, let's say you want to bet this game regardless of the pitchers because Cleveland is on some sort of heater and has won 17 straight day games or something like that. You would choose 'action', which means that your bet will be graded as a winner or a loser regardless of which pitchers start the game.
Some sportsbooks offer up the option to choose listed pitchers for one team or the other. For example, if you want to make sure your bet is graded on Stroman starting, you can select listed pitchers for the Blue Jays and regardless of who starts for the Indians, the bet will be graded.
We understand how frustrating it can be to run your analysis, lock in a good price, and still have your bet voided by a pitching change. However, all of that research is immediately nullified when the starting pitcher is scratched and there may not be any time to run the models again and come up with a determination on whether or not the game is actually worth betting with a new pitcher. That's why we almost always recommend taking the listed pitcher.
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