A Run Line bet is a handicap bet

One of the most common types of bets offered by USA league baseball betting sites is the Run Line. It works in the same way as point spreads that are assigned before a match in other sports. This gives the team perceived as the underdog a "head start" on the scoreboard. In this way, the favorite - typically represented by a line of -1.5 runs - "loses" 1.5 runs on its final score for betting purposes, while the underdog - shown with a line of +1.5 runs - "gains" 1.5 runs on its total runs.

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This is called the handicap, and bookmakers generally use these Run Lines to balance the betting amounts of bettors for a given bet. Otherwise, the odds on the favorite are so low that no one takes part in the bet. Let's look at this example:

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The Kansas City Royals +1.5 (-110) meet the Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (-110)

In this match, the Royals are the underdogs against the Diamondbacks, so they get 1.5 points added to their final score, while the Diamondbacks lose 1.5 points. In other words, in order to win the bet, Arizona must win the game by at least 2 points, while the Royals can lose by a full point and still win the bet.

Note that both betting lines above are accompanied by odds of -110 (in parentheses). Balancing this odds is a common practice, since bettors on both sides must bet $110 to win $100 (which is a ratio, not a minimum), bookmakers can guarantee a take - or "rake" - of about 9%.

Example of handicaps offered on 1xbet.

That said, once the Run Lines are published, bookmakers adjust the odds rather than the handicap to avoid drastic changes in the balance of odds which would cause unbalanced bets, which is financially unstable for sports betting operators.

How to place a handicap bet?

Run Lines can be attractive to bettors for a number of reasons. Generally, it's the best option when it favors the favorite to win by more than one run. Since handicaps pay at a rate of -110, it's typically a significant increase in potential winnings compared to a straight bet on the favorite.

It's also useful to play the Run Line when you think the underdog will manage to stay fairly close to their opponent over the nine innings. However, if you truly believe the underdog is capable of winning, you'll certainly get a much bigger payout with a straight bet on that team.