Totals betting in MLB preseason — also known as spring training — involves wagering on whether the combined runs scored by both teams will finish over or under a posted number. These lines typically sit in the same range as regular-season games, usually between 7 and 10.5 runs, but the dynamics are fundamentally different. Pitchers rarely throw more than a few innings, bullpens are stocked with minor leaguers competing for roster spots, and defensive alignments are experimental. This creates a structural lean toward overs early in spring training when starters are on strict pitch counts, while unders can gain value later as rotations solidify and arms extend deeper into games.
The vig on spring training totals tends to run higher than what bettors encounter during the regular season, reflecting the reduced betting volume and increased uncertainty that books must price in. Sharper lines and tighter juice are typically reserved for MLB's regular-season and playoff markets, where liquidity is far greater. Bettors shopping spring training totals should pay close attention to announced pitching plans — specifically how many innings a starter is expected to cover — and compare lines across multiple books, since spreads in vig can vary significantly in this lower-profile market. Finding even a half-run difference or reduced juice at -108 versus -112 compounds meaningfully over a full spring slate.
Cross-Sport totals Vig Comparison
MLB Preseason totals averages 6.04% vig across 15 sportsbooks. Here's how that compares to other active sports:
| Sport | Avg Vig | vs MLB Preseason |
|---|---|---|
| MLB Preseason | 6.04% | — |
| CFL | 4.92% | 1.12% higher |
| NCAAF | 4.77% | 1.27% higher |
| NFL | 4.90% | 1.13% higher |
| NFL Preseason | 4.53% | 1.51% higher |
Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BetAnything | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 2 | LowVig.ag | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 3 | BetOnline.ag | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 4 | Caesars | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 5 | Bovada | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 6 | DraftKings | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 7 | theScore Bet (ESPN Bet) | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 8 | MyBookie.ag | 4.99% | C+ | 1 |
| 9 | FanDuel | 5.65% | C+ | 1 |
| 10 | BetUS | 6.98% | C+ | 1 |
| 11 | Hard Rock Bet | 6.98% | C | 1 |
| 12 | BetRivers | 7.74% | D | 1 |
| 13 | betPARX | 7.74% | D | 1 |
| 14 | ReBet | 8.05% | D- | 1 |
| 15 | Fliff | 9.09% | D- | 1 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sportsbook has the lowest MLB Preseason totals vig?
BetAnything currently has the lowest vig at 4.76%, earning a grade of B.
What is vig (vigorish) in sports betting?
Vig — short for vigorish, also called juice or overround — is the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. It's the difference between the true probability of an outcome and what the odds imply. Lower vig means you keep more of your winnings on every bet. For example, a standard -110/-110 line has about 4.76% vig.
How often is this data updated?
We pull fresh odds from The Odds API three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds. The timestamp at the top of the page shows the most recent refresh.
How is the vig grade calculated?
Each sportsbook is graded on a letter scale based on average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional, A (2–3%) is excellent, B+ (3–4%) is above average, B (4–5%) is the industry standard, C (5–6%) is below average, and D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets.
Why does lower vig matter for bettors?
Lower vig directly impacts your long-term returns. A bettor placing $1,000 per week at a book with 4% vig loses roughly $40/week to the house edge. At 2% vig, that drops to $20/week — a $1,040 difference over a year. For serious bettors, shopping for lower vig is one of the most reliable ways to improve profitability.
What sportsbooks do you track?
We track both regulated US sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars) and offshore books (Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS, LowVig.ag, BetAnySports). Data comes from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed sources.
How We Calculate These Numbers
- Data Source
- All odds on this page come from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed US and offshore sportsbooks. We track moneyline, spread, and totals markets across every sport with active betting lines.
- Update Frequency
- We pull a fresh snapshot of every tracked market three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds for a given event. The timestamp at the top of each page tells you exactly when the data was last refreshed.
- Vig Calculation
- Vig (short for vigorish, also called juice or overround) measures the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. We calculate it by converting the odds on each side of a market to implied probabilities, summing those probabilities, and subtracting 100%. For example, a market priced at -110/-110 implies 52.38% on each side — a total of 104.76%, meaning a vig of 4.76%. Lower vig means better value for bettors because you keep more of your winnings.
- Per-Market Breakdown
- We compute vig separately for each market type: moneyline (h2h), point spreads, and totals (over/under). The "average vig" shown for each sportsbook is the mean across all market types weighted by the number of events sampled in each market.
- Grading Scale
- Every sportsbook receives a letter grade based on its average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exchange-level pricing. A (2–3%) is very competitive. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard — a -110/-110 line is 4.76%. C+ (5–6%) is slightly below average. C (6–7%) is below average. D (7–8%) is high vig. D− (8–10%) is very high vig. F (10%+) is predatory pricing. See the full Vig Index Methodology for formulas, worked examples, and known limitations.
- Trend Tracking
- We store daily snapshots for 30 days, allowing us to show 24-hour and 7-day vig trends. A downward trend (improving) means sportsbooks are tightening their lines — often in response to increased competition or higher betting volume as a season heats up.