MLB offers one of the most analytically rich betting landscapes in professional sports. With a 162-game regular season running from late March through early October — followed by a month-long postseason — the sheer volume of games creates deep, liquid markets across moneylines, run lines, totals, and player props. Unlike football or basketball, baseball's low-scoring nature and binary pitching matchups mean that small edges compound over a large sample size. The prevalence of plus-money underdogs that win roughly 40-44% of the time makes moneyline betting particularly interesting, as bettors can sustain long losing streaks and still turn a profit with disciplined bankroll management.
Vigorish on MLB moneylines tends to be tighter than in many other sports, largely because the market is mature and heavily modeled. Standard moneyline vig typically falls in the 2-4% range at competitive sportsbooks, though this can widen on lopsided matchups where one side is a heavy favorite (-200 or beyond). Run line margins — baseball's equivalent of a point spread, fixed at 1.5 runs — often carry slightly more juice because the market is less efficient there. Totals generally sit somewhere in between. Books that consistently post tight MLB margins signal confidence in their pricing models and a willingness to compete for sharp action.
Odds tend to be most competitive during the heart of the regular season, roughly May through August, when betting volume peaks and books sharpen their lines through market competition. Early-season games can present wider margins as sportsbooks hedge against roster uncertainty, bullpen roles still being defined, and cold-weather variables. Weather remains a persistent factor throughout the season — wind direction at Wrigley Field, humidity in Houston, and rain delays all influence totals significantly. Starting pitcher identity is the single largest variable in MLB odds-setting, and late scratches can move a line by 30 cents or more. Platoon splits, bullpen fatigue in the second game of doubleheaders, and travel schedules during long road trips are additional edges that informed bettors exploit regularly.
Analysis updated September 6, 2026. Odds data above refreshes hourly.
Cross-Sport Vig Comparison
MLB averages 4.92% vig across 20 sportsbooks. Here's how that compares to other active sports:
Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Avg Vig | Grade | ML | Spreads | Totals | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LowVig.ag | 2.95% | A | 2.38% | 3.08% | 3.44% | 13 |
| 2 | Pinnacle | 3.27% | B+ | 2.88% | 3.37% | 3.58% | 16 |
| 3 | BetOnline.ag | 3.64% | B+ | 2.38% | 3.93% | 4.71% | 13 |
| 4 | BetUS | 3.82% | B+ | 2.86% | 3.96% | 4.71% | 13 |
| 5 | BetAnything | 4.15% | B | 3.74% | 4.05% | 4.69% | 13 |
| 6 | Caesars | 4.71% | B | 4.43% | 4.70% | 5.00% | 16 |
| 7 | theScore Bet (ESPN Bet) | 4.72% | B | 4.51% | 4.78% | 4.88% | 16 |
| 8 | Bovada | 4.81% | B | 4.77% | 4.56% | 5.10% | 16 |
| 9 | BetMGM | 4.87% | B | 4.66% | 4.98% | 4.99% | 16 |
| 10 | FanDuel | 4.95% | B | 4.44% | 5.06% | 5.35% | 15 |
| 11 | DraftKings | 4.96% | B | 4.94% | 4.93% | 5.02% | 16 |
| 12 | MyBookie.ag | 4.96% | B | 4.43% | 4.84% | 5.70% | 16 |
| 13 | Hard Rock Bet | 4.98% | B | 4.86% | 5.12% | 4.96% | 15 |
| 14 | Fanatics | 5.03% | C+ | 4.84% | 5.08% | 5.17% | 16 |
| 15 | betPARX | 5.56% | C+ | 5.03% | 5.17% | 6.47% | 15 |
| 16 | BetRivers | 5.75% | C+ | 5.16% | 5.65% | 6.43% | 15 |
| 17 | Bally Bet | 5.89% | C+ | 5.36% | 5.55% | 6.76% | 15 |
| 18 | Fliff | 6.08% | C | 5.21% | 6.72% | 6.26% | 16 |
| 19 | 888sport | 6.19% | C | 6.08% | 6.10% | 6.38% | 16 |
| 20 | ReBet | 7.02% | D | 7.07% | 7.07% | 6.92% | 16 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sportsbook has the lowest MLB vig?
LowVig.ag currently has the lowest vig at 2.95%, earning a grade of A.
Why does MLB have unique vig patterns?
MLB betting revolves around the moneyline rather than point spreads (though run lines exist). This means vig varies significantly based on the matchup — a game between evenly matched teams will have much tighter vig than a heavy favorite vs underdog scenario.
When is MLB season?
MLB runs from late March through October, with the World Series typically ending in late October or early November. Spring training games begin in February but rarely appear on most sportsbooks. The long 162-game season means consistent odds availability for six months.
Which MLB market type offers the best value?
For MLB, moneylines on close matchups (both teams near even) tend to have the best vig. Run line (±1.5) vig is typically higher because it's a less liquid market. Totals vary based on the game but are generally competitive at sharp books.
Are there reduced-juice options for MLB?
Yes. Reduced-juice books like BetAnySports and LowVig.ag consistently price MLB below the -110 standard. Bet105 prices -105 across every sport including MLB, for a market hold of roughly 2.4% — advertised book-wide pricing that would place it in the most-efficient tier, though it is not yet part of our measured feed.
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 every hour, on the hour (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 average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exchange-level pricing, A (2–3%) very competitive, B+ (3–4%) above average, B (4–5%) the industry standard, C+ (5–6%) slightly below average, C (6–7%) below average, D (7–8%) high vig, D− (8–10%) very high, F (10%+) predatory.
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, BetAnything). 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 every hour, on the hour (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.